IMF Narrowing Options to Ease Loan Penalties by October Meetings
- Board looking at three ways to reduce charges in coming weeks
- Argentina, Egypt, Ukraine, Ecuador owe billions via surcharges
The surcharge fees apply to nations that use more than their allotted share of IMF resources or take longer to repay loans under fund programs.
Photographer: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The International Monetary Fund is focusing on a set of options to ease the additional debt burden it imposes on nations looking to escape financial distress, as it seeks to address complaints that its current system is overly punitive.
The IMF’s executive board had a meeting this week to consider three potential changes to the so-called surcharges system, according to people familiar with the plan who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The changes could be implemented jointly or separately, the people said, and no final decisions have been made.