Other Financial Accountability Study

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  • Publication
    Republic of Kosovo Public Sector Revenues: Tax Policies, Tax Evasion, and Tax Gaps
    (Washington, DC, 2014-06) World Bank
    Kosovo has a simple tax system and relatively low tax rates. A risky feature of Kosovo’s tax system is the high dependence on border taxes. In 2012, 71 percent of revenue was collected at the border in the form of trade taxes and value added tax (VAT) on imports. Shifting from border to domestic revenue collection is needed. The simple tax system can make it easier for the tax administration of Kosovo (TAK) to adjust direct taxes while encouraging labor market formality. Low domestic revenue collection suggests the presence of large tax gap - the difference between the amount the TAK should collect and the amount it actually does collect. The wider social and economic consequences of tax evasion are high. Finding ways to raise domestic revenue to compensate for the decline in border revenues is going to require actions on a number of fronts. First, strengthening the TAK’s capacity to increase compliance and reduce tax evasion, through judicial means. Second, reducing the informal economy will bring more firms and employees into tax net. Third, efforts can be made to increase revenues through existing taxes. Finally, policies that boost private sector growth, including an improved business climate, will help increase domestic production and therefore tax revenues.
  • Publication
    Fiduciary Systems Assessment : Maharashtra Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program
    (Washington, DC, 2014-02) World Bank
    A fiduciary systems assessment (FSA) was carried out to evaluate the arrangements relevant to the program and to determine whether they provide reasonable assurance that the program funds will be used for their intended purpose. Taking into account the improvements required and the agreement on the actions required to strengthen the systems (which are reflected in the program action plan (PAP), the overall fiduciary framework is considered adequate to support program management and to achieve desired results. Government of Maharashtra (GoM) has a well-developed budgetary framework that ensures allocation of adequate resources to all departments and programs. There is sufficient predictability in the availability of resources; however, to maintain transparency in GoM's financing, an exclusive budget line has been allocated to this program as is usually done by GoM for externally aided projects. Fiduciary arrangements in the sector are guided by several rules and legislations, including the state financial rules, public works department (PWD) manual, store purchase rules, Maharashtra jeevan pradhikaran (MJP) act, Zila Parishad (ZP) account code and the Bombay panchayat rules. The existing governance and accountability arrangements in water supply and sanitation department (WSSD) include the anti-corruption bureau, which enforces the prevention of corruption act, 1988; audits by the comptroller and auditor general (C and AG) of India, the country's premier auditor; right to information (RTI) act 2005; and WSSD's vigilance function and its grievance redress system (E-Pani).
  • Publication
    Rwanda Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-11) World Bank
    Although the Parliament of Rwanda has passed an impressive array of financial sector laws since 2008, the laws relevant to financial consumer protection are very limited and in some cases overlapping. Consumer protection in Rwandan banking, microfinance, and insurance sectors is fragmented because of insufficiently defined roles and responsibilities among institutions and unclear enforcement capacity. While there are some strong provisions in some areas such as electronic money transfer, electronic transmission, credit information, and market conduct regulation in the insurance industry, many other areas are lagging. Rwandan authorities recognize that a sound financial consumer protection framework is fundamental to improving usage and quality of financial services, access to them, and overall deepening of the financial sector. This World Bank diagnostic review was requested by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) in November 2012. Modules on banking and microfinance sectors were developed based on publicly available information and data during the World Bank mission in Rwanda, and the review of the insurance sector was conducted through a desk review using the data obtained from BNR data requests and questionnaires, and the analysis is therefore constrained by it. Volume I of the review summarizes its key findings and recommendations, and volume II provides a detailed assessment against the World Bank’s good practices on financial consumer protection.
  • Publication
    Rwanda Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-11) World Bank
    Although the Parliament of Rwanda has passed an impressive array of financial sector laws since 2008, the laws relevant to financial consumer protection are very limited and in some cases overlapping. Consumer protection in Rwandan banking, microfinance, and insurance sectors is fragmented because of insufficiently defined roles and responsibilities among institutions and unclear enforcement capacity. While there are some strong provisions in some areas such as electronic money transfer, electronic transmission, credit information, and market conduct regulation in the insurance industry, many other areas are lagging. Rwandan authorities recognize that a sound financial consumer protection framework is fundamental to improving usage and quality of financial services, access to them, and overall deepening of the financial sector. This World Bank diagnostic review was requested by the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) in November 2012. Modules on banking and microfinance sectors were developed based on publicly available information and data during the World Bank mission in Rwanda, and the review of the insurance sector was conducted through a desk review using the data obtained from BNR data requests and questionnaires, and the analysis is therefore constrained by it. Volume I of the review summarizes its key findings and recommendations, and volume II provides a detailed assessment against the World Bank’s good practices on financial consumer protection.
  • Publication
    Mozambique Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-12) World Bank
    The review provides a detailed assessment of the institutional policy and regulatory framework in two segments of the financial sector: banking and non-bank credit institutions. The mission took place in response to a specific request for technical assistance in the field of financial consumer protection made by the central bank, the Banco de Moçambique (BdM), in November 2011. As agreed with the BdM, the assessment has focused on bank and non-bank entities within Mozambique’s financial sector that provide financial products and services to consumers, including microfinance, with a particular focus on credit reporting and on financial awareness. Volume one summarizes the key findings and recommendations of the review and volume two presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. Volume two also includes annexes that analyze and provide more detailed recommendations on credit reporting and financial education, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Mozambique. The key findings and recommendations presented in this report cover six areas: institutional arrangements, legal and regulatory framework, disclosure, business practices, dispute resolution mechanisms, and financial education.
  • Publication
    Mozambique Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-12) World Bank
    The review provides a detailed assessment of the institutional policy and regulatory framework in two segments of the financial sector: banking and non-bank credit institutions. The mission took place in response to a specific request for technical assistance in the field of financial consumer protection made by the central bank, the Banco de Moçambique (BdM), in November 2011. As agreed with the BdM, the assessment has focused on bank and non-bank entities within Mozambique’s financial sector that provide financial products and services to consumers, including microfinance, with a particular focus on credit reporting and on financial awareness. Volume one summarizes the key findings and recommendations of the review and volume two presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. Volume two also includes annexes that analyze and provide more detailed recommendations on credit reporting and financial education, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Mozambique. The key findings and recommendations presented in this report cover six areas: institutional arrangements, legal and regulatory framework, disclosure, business practices, dispute resolution mechanisms, and financial education.
  • Publication
    Republic of Zambia Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-10) World Bank
    The Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy in Zambia was conducted at the request of the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) and covered: i) banking; ii) non-bank financial institutions; iii) insurance; iv) pensions; and v) securities. The objectives of the Review were to compare the existing legal and regulatory framework, institutional arrangements, and market practices to good practices and provide recommendations to enhance financial consumer protection and financial literacy in Zambia. The Review consists of two Volumes. Volume I summarizes the key findings and recommendations and Volume II presents a detailed assessment of each of the covered sectors compared to the Good Practices.
  • Publication
    Republic of Zambia Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-10) World Bank
    The Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy in Zambia was conducted at the request of the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) and covered: i) banking; ii) non-bank financial institutions; iii) insurance; iv) pensions; and v) securities. The objectives of the Review were to compare the existing legal and regulatory framework, institutional arrangements, and market practices to good practices and provide recommendations to enhance financial consumer protection and financial literacy in Zambia. The Review consists of two Volumes. Volume I summarizes the key findings and recommendations and Volume II presents a detailed assessment of each of the covered sectors compared to the Good Practices. The key findings and recommendations presented in Volume I cover six areas: i) legal and regulatory framework; ii) institutional arrangements; iii) consumer disclosure; iv) business practices; v) dispute resolution mechanisms; and vi) financial education.
  • Publication
    Bosnia and Herzegovina: Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection in the Microfinance Sector
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-06) World Bank
    This 2012 microcredit sector diagnostic review complements the 2011 review of the Banking sector and analyses the following five areas of consumer protection in microcredit: i) existing institutional arrangements, ii) consumer disclosure; iii) business practices; iv) dispute resolution mechanisms; v) and financial education programs. Bosnia and Herzegovina was the largest microfinance market in Europe and Central Asia until the 2008 global crisis prompted a rapid reversal. Authorities identified consumer protection in microfinance as high priority and introduced new regulatory provisions to stabilize the sector. This review analyzes the existing consumer protection framework and offers recommendations for further improvements. The Institutional Arrangements section covers the agencies responsible for implementing consumer protection, as well as industry and consumer associations. The section on Consumer Disclosure focuses on standard formats for price and product comparison, disclosure provisions, and basic rights of consumers. The Business Practices section covers unfair or abusive practices, standard consumer contract provisions, and industry Code of Conduct. The section on Dispute Resolution focuses on internal complaints mechanisms in financial institutions and out-of-court mechanisms. The section on Financial Education focuses on measures aimed at increasing consumer financial literacy and awareness.
  • Publication
    Malawi Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05) World Bank
    According to FinScope surveys in 2008 and 2014, the number of financially included adult Malawians grew from 45 percent to 49 percent, and the proportion of adults using formal banking services expanded from 19 percent to 27 percent. These significant improvements were achieved based on Malawi’s financial sector development strategy for 2010-2015 that identified consumer protection and financial literacy as priorities in developing a financial sector that supports inclusive and sustainable growth. In 2012 the World Bank conducted a diagnostic review in Malawi that aimed to highlight the progress made, compare Malawi’s legal and institutional frameworks with international benchmarks, and provide a series of concrete recommendations. Although key initial steps have been taken in financial consumer protection, especially at the institutional level, Malawi is still at an early stage of development in this area, based on international good practices. Volume 1 of this report focuses on key findings and recommendations from the review. Volume 2 presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. It also includes annexes that analyze and provides recommendations on credit reporting, mobile banking services and private pension funds, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Malawi.