Oversight of Budget/Fiscal Policies

Category: Policy Areas | Back to Glossary

An essential part of fiscal openness is ensuring strong, independent formal oversight institutions.

Technical specifications: All activities of the legislature in approving, monitoring and reviewing the budget and fiscal reports, all activities of the Supreme Audit Institution, and also of any independent fiscal institutions that provide oversight, and any activities of the Ombudsman in reviewing/enforcing public access to fiscal information.

See also: Publication of Budget/Fiscal InformationCitizens deserve to know how their government is getting money, what is being prioritized for spending, and whether the money is being used effectively. Technical specifications: Any efforts explicitl..., Public Participation in Budget/Fiscal PolicyAllowing citizens to have a voice in how money is spent can improve the efficiency of public service delivery and strengthen tax compliance. Technical specifications: Direct engagement between the pub..., Legislative OversightEffective parliamentary oversight of the executive branch is key to the integrity of democratic systems and, by extension, to the open government agenda. Technical specifications: Commitments that inv..., Stimulus and Economic RecoveryGiven the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, public oversight of government spending, including record-breaking stimulus packages in many countries, is more essential than ever befor...