Fiscal indicators
Edited by Martin Larch and Joao Nogueira Martins
Abstract:
Fiscal indicators are the backbone of effective fiscal policy-making, including the
coordination and surveillance of budgetary policy at the EU level. The Workshop organized
by the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European
Commission on 22 September 2006 in Brussels aimed at enriching the debate on the fiscal
indicators and improving the understanding of their functioning. In this Economic Paper we
publish the proceedings of the workshop. On top of a brief introduction which puts the topics
into perspective, the volume collects all the contributions presented and discussed at the
workshop. Mirroring the structure of the workshop the proceedings are organised in the parts:
(i) long-term sustainability, (ii) the measurement of the underlying budgetary position and
discretionary fiscal policy and (iii) the reliability of fiscal indicators.
Keywords: fiscal indicators, government budget, EU fiscal surveillance
JEL classification: H60, H61, H68, E6