Local Public Finance in Europe

Balancing the Budget and Controlling Debt

Studies in Fiscal Federalism and State-local Finance series

Edited by Bernard Dafflon, former Professor of Public Finance, Centre for Studies in Public Economics, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

Most countries apply some form of restrictions to local government budgeting and borrowing, but in various forms and to varying degrees. These restrictions are considered necessary components of a fiscal federalism involving some sort of central government control in local affairs, a design which can be termed ‘administrative federalism’. In this comprehensive book Bernard Dafflon introduces the reader to the institutional complexities of fiscal controls in European local public finance.

‘. . . the book contains a good deal of useful information about local government finance in Europe.’
– John Fender, Local Government Studies

‘. . . I would like to thank you for publishing the great book Local Public Finance in Europe. It is a rare source of institutional information and also great insights on the subject.’
——安德烈研究发现,美国乔治亚州立大学

‘In respect of the hard budget constraint imposed by the stability pact for Maastricht. . . and the fact that European central governments can no longer bail out sub-federal obligations for more than 3% deficit to GNP annually and 60% debt to GDP. . . the volume edited by B. Dafflon is important and highly welcome. . . . Insofar, it represents an interesting and important milestone in the evaluation of the success of local budget rules in European countries.’
– C.A. Schaltegger, Kyklos