This presentation by Helmer Vossers, Netherlands, was made at the 10th Meeting of CESEE Senior Budget Officials held in Den Haag on 26-27 June 2014. Find more information at http://www.oecd.org/gov/budgeting/10thannualmeetingofseniorbudgetofficialsfromcentraleasternandsoutheasterneuropeanceseecountries.htm

1. 10 years SBO CESEE
A personal view
26 juni 2014
Helmer Vossers

2. 10 years SBO CESEE
2004: The Hague
2006: Ljubljana, Slovenia
2007: Vilnius, Lithuania
2008: Bucharest, Romania
2009: St Petersburg, Russian Federation
2010: Budva, Montenegro
2011: Zagreb, Croatia
2012: Tallinn, Estonia
2013: Riga, Latvia
2014: The Hague
2

3. 10 years SBO CESEE
Present in 2004 and 2014:
 Mr. Karel TYLL –Tsjechië
 Ms. Mojca VOLJC – Slovenia
 M. Pavel SAFARYAN- Armenië
 Ms Ivana JAKIR – Kroatië
 Ms Mira DOBOVISEK – CEF-Slovenië
 Mrs Helene LECONTE– OECD
 Mr Hans MONNICKENDAM- National Academy for Finance
and economy
 Mr Bas VERBERNE- The National Academy for Finance
and economy
 Mr Dirk-Jan KRAAN- OECD/IMF
3

4. 4
-
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Government Debt % GDP
EU- countries
Other countries
Total countries

5. 2004: Budget Paradise
 Good organized budget process: the Netherlands as an
example of good budget procedures (Top 3 IMF)
 Stable political situation
 Low deficit; low debt
5

6. 2007: “The lowest debt since Napoleon”
6
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
2008 2009 2010
Overig
Automatische stabilisatie
Stimuleringspakket
Interventies financiële sector
Raming EMU-schuld MN 2008

7. Economic background
 Unaware of the risks of the financial sector
 Bubble in the housing sector; balance sheet households
 Stabilization policy; long reaction time
7

8. Political background
 In 2004 2 or 3 parties could
form a stable coalition
 Up front a coalition
agreement with a detailed
financial annex could be
made
 The budget office could have
a kind of super financial
control position.
8

9. Impact on budget
office
 Recurring negotations
 More focus discussion
with parliament on
cutbacks
 Importance of “spending
reviews”
9

10. Impact on budget
office part 2
 Multi level budget discussions
 < 2010 only with spending departments
 > 2010 also with supporting political
10

11. Impact on budget
office part 3
 Impression of enormous
budget reductions
 Reality: year to year real growth
11

12. New King; same procedure; giving support SBO CESEE
conference in the Hague
12 Budgeting in the Netherlands