Illustrative list of issues addressed in the work on central bank governance

Updated 3 June 2013

Legal foundations of the central bank; governance and accountability

  • Collection of central bank laws
  • Legal status, objectives and ownership of central banks
  • Various aspects of central bank independence and accountability
  • Central bank boards: role, composition, appointment mechanisms
  • External communications activities of central banks

Mandates and functions of central banks

  • Overview of functions and activities of central banks
  • Central bank functions, structure and processes

Governance-related aspects of monetary and exchange rate policy

  • The composition of monetary policy councils
  • Governance aspects of using an inflation target or objective
  • Involvement of central banks in exchange controls
  • Payment of interest on minimum reserve balances

Governance-related aspects of financial stability and supervisory responsibilities

  • Central bank involvement in safeguarding financial stability
  • How central banks use and obtain supervisory information
  • Direct costs of banking supervision and surveillance

Central bank balance sheet, reserves management

  • Balance sheet strength, profitability and central bank policy
  • Central banks' approaches to selected accounting and evaluation issues
  • Legal provisions on the transfer of central bank profits

Structure and organisation of the central bank

  • Organisation charts of central banks
  • Organisational change at central banks: areas of change, reasons for change, the management of change

Human resources and related issues

  • Central bank staff numbers
  • Central bank approaches to salary and compensation issues; salaries of central bank governors
  • Codes of conduct for central bank staff
  • Enhancing performance and improving efficiency at the central bank
  • Expenditures on staff training and development

Specific activities and internal services

  • Costs of managing the circulation of bank notes
  • Central bank practices concerning selected security aspects