Flexibility

Under the Special Data Dissemination Standard, a subscriber may avail itself of the following flexibility provisions with respect to coverage, periodicity, and timeliness:

Coverage

1) Some data categories or components of data categories are identified as "encouraged" rather than "prescribed."

2) Some categories/components are marked "as relevant," and if one or more of them is not relevant to a subscribing member's economy, it may so indicate.

Periodicity and timeliness

(1) For the national accounts and balance of payments, although the quarterly specification for periodicity must be met, timeliness may be "less" than prescribed if the tracking categories (the production index/indices and international reserves and merchandise trade, respectively), are disseminated with the prescribed periodicity and timeliness.

(2) For any other two prescribed data categories except: a) international reserves and foreign currency liquidity and b) external debt, periodicity and/or timeliness may be "less" than prescribed.

The flexibility provisions described above are permanent features of the SDDS.