Finanspolitiska rådet
Finanspolitiska rådet,
Box 3273, SE-103 65 Stockholm
Kungsgatan 12-14,
Sweden
Phone:+46 8-453 59 90
Fax: +46 8-453 59 64
info@finanspolitiskaradet.se
www.finanspolitiskaradet.se

IMF wants to reinforce the role of the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council

June 7, following the annual Article IV Consultation, IMF presented its latest statement on the Swedish economy. Among other things, IMF wants to reinforce the role of the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council:

"As the current framework—targeting a surplus of 1 percent of GDP across the cycle, supported by medium-term expenditure ceilings—remains well suited for Sweden, the critical element in any changes will be to reinforce the central role of the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council in assessing compliance with the rules."

Read the complete statement.


Swedish Fiscal Policy 2010

The 2010 report of the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council was published on 17 May 2010. There is now an English translation of the summary available. The full report will be translated later this year.

Principal Conclusions and SummaryPDF


Conference on Independent Fiscal Institutions

The chairman of the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council, Lars Calmfors, has participated at a conference in Budapest on independent fiscal policy institutions. The conference was organized by the Hungarian Fiscal Council.

Calmfors paperPDF
SlidesPDF
Homepage for the conference
Compilation of fiscal councils around the world
More information on presentations and meetings


Comments on the 2010 Budget Bill

The main task of the Fiscal Policy Council is to produce an annual report evaluating the Government's fiscal and other economic policy. The report is published in May each year immediately after the presentation of the Government's Spring Fiscal Policy Bill. This means that a relatively long time has elapsed since the last Budget Bill was presented. In a situation like the current one with a serious economic crisis and major changes in fiscal policy, it may therefore be useful for the Fiscal Policy Council to express its views in connection with the Budget Bill. Hence, we present these comments, which all the members of the Council endorse.

Download
Comments on the Budget BillPDF

Swedish Fiscal Policy 2009

The 2009 report of the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council was published on 11 May 2009. There is now an English translation of the report available.

Swedish Fiscal Policy 2009PDF
Principal Conclusions and SummaryPDF
Contact us for a printed version


About the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council

The Swedish Fiscal Policy Council is a government agency established on 1 August 2007. The Council consists of eight members and is assisted by a secretariat with two employees. The mission of the Council is to provide an independent evaluation of the Swedish Government´s fiscal policy.

The council assesses the extent to which the Government's fiscal-policy objectives are being achieved. These objectives include long-run sustainability, the budget surplus target, the ceiling on central government expenditure and that fiscal policy is consistent with the cyclical situation of the economy. The council also evaluates whether the development of the economy is in line with healthy long-run growth and sustainable high employment. Additional tasks are to examine the clarity of the Government's budget proposals and to review its economic forecasts and the economic models used to generate them. Finally, the Council should try to stimulate public debate on economic policy.  
 
The Council publishes an annual report to be presented to the Government no later than 15 May each year. The annual report will be used by the Swedish Parliament in evaluating the Government's fiscal policy. The council also organises conferences and publishes papers on various aspects of fiscal policy.

Download Reports
The Council's third report was published 17 May 2010.
Principal Conclusions and SummaryPDF

The Council's comments on the 2010 Budget Bill
Download an English versionPDF
Download a Swedish versionPDF

The Council's second report was published 11 May 2009.
Download an English versionPDF
Principal Conclusions and SummaryPDF
Download a Swedish versionPDF

The Council's first report was published 15 May 2008.
Principal Conclusions and SummaryPDF
Download a Swedish versionPDF

Calendar
The Council's report, Svensk finanspolitik (Swedish Fiscal Policy) will be published in Swedish 17 May 2010. A conference will be held 18 May.

The Council publishes papers on various aspects of fiscal policy. To stimulate discussion on the 2010 papers, the council is organizing two conferences, on 3 and 9 June.

For further information
Charlotte Sandberg
Phone: +46 84 53 59 91

Eva Oscarsson
Phone: +46 84 53 59 88

Erik Höglin
Phone: +46 84 53 59 18

Pär Nyman
Phone: +46 84 53 59 92

To order reports
Marianne Larsson
Phone: +46 84 53 59 28