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Expenditure Ceilings—A Survey

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  • Gösta Ljungman

Abstract

This paper looks at the factors that have to be considered when designing an aggregate expenditure ceiling. It is argued that expenditure ceilings are effective in promoting fiscal discipline and sustainability, but that a number of trade-offs have to be made when setting up a fiscal framework that will survive in a politically charged environment. The paper illustrates the discussion with a case study of medium-term aggregate expenditure ceilings in three countries: Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Suggested Citation

  • Gösta Ljungman, 2008. "Expenditure Ceilings—A Survey," IMF Working Papers 2008/282, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2008/282
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    Cited by:

    1. Sacchi, Agnese & Salotti, Simone, 2015. "The impact of national fiscal rules on the stabilisation function of fiscal policy," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 1-20.
    2. Bruno Bises & Agnese Sacchi, 2011. "On Cash Transfers, In-Kind Provision, and the Size of Local Jurisdictions," Public Finance Review, , vol. 39(4), pages 527-550, July.
    3. Roy Havemann & Hylton Hollander, 2022. "Fiscal policy in times of fiscal stress: Or what to do when r > g," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-52, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Flodén, Martin, 2013. "A role model for the conduct of fiscal policy? Experiences from Sweden," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 177-197.

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