The lack of budget transparency and projections accuracy have been among the determinants of the last four decades high deficit and debt, as the recent 2008-2009 economic crisis has highlighted. In order to improve fiscal policy process and budget transparency, the European Union (EU) stated...

Independent fiscal councils are claimed to mitigate political failures in fiscal policymaking and increase fiscal performance. However, to influence and persuade policymakers these watchdog councils need to have access at different stages of the budget process. This paper examines the extent to...