In April 2000, the Financial Stability Forum established a Working Group on Deposit Insurance (the .Working Group.). The Working Group.s mandate (for a list of members see Annex A) is to develop guidance on sound deposit insurance arrangements. The mandate also specifies that the .development of the guidance should be undertaken through a consultative process that would include other countries that are interested in deposit insurance issues, so as to ensure that the guidelines are reflective of, and adaptable to, the broadest set of circumstances, settings and sound structures.. The focus of the Working Group.s efforts is on providing policymakers with tools to self-assess their particular deposit insurance needs.

The Working Group's activities provide countries around the world with information about deposit insurance practices. As demonstrated in the outreach sessions, policy makers in a number of countries and regions (Korea, Ukraine, Hong Kong, etc.) are using the Working Group's selfassessment methodology as they develop their own deposit insurance systems. They are also commenting extensively on the Working Group.s discussion papers and attending outreach sessions and conferences to gather information and to speak with practitioners from other countries. Continue reading