To what extent should local and regional governments in the European Union be allowed to determine their own fiscal policies? This book explores the core issues of fiscal federalism in the European context. It combines theoretical and empirical analysis in addressing such questions as: what sort...

In countries where subnational governments control a large part of the public finances, the central government's ability to keep its commitment to the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact can be a difficult matter. European rules demand that the overall budget be balanced over the medium...

This paper investigates the development of local public finance in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and the United Kingdom. In this context important characteristics of municipal expenditures and revenues are examined in these countries. Differences in government structure (i.e. unitary or federal)...