Mandate: - Decision of the Council establishing an OECD Network on Fiscal Affairs Across Levels of Government approved at its 1074th session held on 18 December 2003 [C(2003)192 and C/M(2003)29, item 414]
- The mandate was revised and extended by Council during its 1230th session held on 3 November 2010 [C(2010)135 and C/M(2010)20, item 236]
- The mandate was revised and extended by Council during its 1303th session held on 21 November 2014 [C(2014)117, Annex and C/M(2014)12, Item 190]
- The mandate was revised and extended by Council during its 1387th session held on 11 December 2018 [C(2018)154, Annex and C/M(2018)24, Item 253]
- The mandate was further revised and extended by Council during its 1459th session held on 12 December 2022 [C(2022)198, Annex and C/M(2022)23, item 302]
Resolution of the Council [C(2022)198, Annex and C/M(2022)23, Item 302]
DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL REVISING THE MANDATE OF THE OECD NETWORK ON FISCAL RELATIONS ACROSS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
“THE COUNCIL,
Having regard to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960;
Having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the Organisation;
Having regard to the Financial Regulations of the Organisation;
Having regard to the creation of the Network on Fiscal Relations Across Levels of Government [C(2003)192 and its CORR1/REV1 and C/M(2003)29/PROV, Item 414], whose mandate was last revised in 2018 [C(2018)154 and C/M(2018)24, Item 253];
Having regard to the proposed renewal and revision of the mandate of the Network on Fiscal Relations Across Levels of Government [C(2022)198];
DECIDES:
A. The Network on Fiscal Relations across Levels of Government (hereafter “the Network”) is renewed with the following revised mandate:
I. Objectives
Overarching objective
1. The Network’s overarching objective is to improve countries’ policies with regard to the fiscal relations across levels of government and sub-national public finance, both on the taxation and spending side, with a view to enhancing economic performance and well-being.
Mid-level objectives
2. The Network’s main mid-level objectives are to:
i) Strengthen the design of intergovernmental fiscal frameworks in Network member countries.
ii) Achieve a better understanding of the policy factors that help underpin the successful implementation of intergovernmental public finance reforms.
iii) Support efficiency-enhancing intergovernmental public finance reform in Network members and selected non-members of the Network.
iv) Help Network members to assess and compare the design of intergovernmental fiscal frameworks and the effectiveness of fiscal policy.
v) Improve preparedness and fiscal resilience in facing macroeconomic risks across levels of government.
II. Participation
3. Membership in the Network shall be open to:
• OECD Members, which have addressed a notification to the Secretary-General to this effect;
• Non-Members whose membership in the Network is approved by the Council following a recommendation by the Network.
Together, these OECD Members and non-Members are referred to as “Network members”.
4. Each Network member shall appoint at least one representative. Representatives should be chosen by virtue of their responsibilities in matters relating to intergovernmental fiscal relations and subnational public finance.
5. An invitation to become a Network member is accepted in writing to the Secretariat and commits the Network member to all applicable terms and conditions. The Network member or the Organisation may terminate the membership with twelve months’ notice.
6. Participation on an ad hoc basis and without any decision-making rights shall be open to:
• OECD Members which are not Network members;
• Non-Members whose participation is decided by the Council following a recommendation by the Network.
Together, these OECD Members and non-Members are referred to as “Network ad hoc observers”.
III. Working methods
7. To achieve its objectives, the Network will:
i) Provide a place where officials can exchange experience and views on how to reform fiscal relations across levels of government. Network delegates will meet at least once a year.
ii) Prepare analytical reports and develop guidelines and best practices in all areas of fiscal federalism and sub-national public finance, and monitor trends in Network member countries.
iii) Maintain and expand the Fiscal Decentralisation Database, covering both quantitative and qualitative aspects of fiscal relations across levels of government for Network members.
IV. Co-ordination arrangements
8. In carrying out its work, the Network will:
i) Co-operate closely with the other relevant bodies of the Organisation, in particular the Committee on Fiscal Affairs, the Economic Policy Committee, the Committee of Senior Budget Officials and the Regional Development Policy Committee.
Iii) Strengthen policy dialogue with selected key non-OECD economies in order to increase their awareness of and participation in Network activities.
ii) Monitor and contribute to relevant activities carried out in other international bodies, such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
IV. Budget
9. The expenditure of the Network shall be charged against the appropriations authorised for it under Part II of the Budget of the Organisation.
10. Network members shall pay assessed contributions in the form of a fixed minimum fee which is assessed annually by the Network and, unless the Network decides otherwise, adjusted to French inflation.
11. Appropriations, for which no commitment has been entered into before the end of the Financial Year for which they were appropriated, as well as any surplus income, shall be automatically carried forward to the Budget of the Network for the ensuing year by decision of the Secretary-General, notwithstanding the provisions of Regulation 10 of the Financial Regulations of the Organisation.
12. A Network member falls into arrears on 1 January of the year following the year of the call for payment of the assessed contribution if its contribution remains unpaid at that date. If the contribution remains unpaid in the second year following the year of the call for payment, a proposal may be considered to suspend the participation of the Network member, unless it pays its outstanding contribution. Settlement of the outstanding debt by the Network member will reverse the suspension. If, in the third year following the year of call for payment, the Network member’s contribution remains unpaid, a proposal may be considered to exclude it from the Network, unless it pays its outstanding contribution. The decision of exclusion shall be adopted by the Council and notified to the Network member.
B. The mandate of the Network shall remain in force until 31 December 2028.