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IV. FRANCE

1.Overview

1.1.The legal framework governing budget processes

France has a comprehensive legal framework for the State budget, with a constitution that provides the executive with strong powers in budgeting. The 1958 Constitution limits the role of Parliament in budgetary matters to changing the composition of expenditures. Parliament cannot raise total expenditures, nor can it lower revenues of the State budget. The Constitution also contains some fundamental principles for the State budget and, since 1996, for the social security organisations as well.

The main law governing budget processes is the 2001 Organic Budget Law (Loi organique relative aux lois de finances, LOLF), to be fully implemented in 2006. This law lays out principles relating to the content, preparation, adoption and reporting of annual budget laws of the State. However, annual State expenditures cover only 37% of total general government expenditures. Various extrabudgetary funds account for 45% of general government expenditures (OECD, 2003, p. 117). The principal funds relate to healthcare, pensions, unemployment insurance and family support. Since 1996, the financing of the social security funds is examined by Parliament, the conditions for which are laid out in a separate organic law (see Box 1). The remaining 19% of general government expenditure is executed through local governments’ budgets, governed by a comprehensive legal framework, the Local Government Code. External audit laws have also been codified,1 as have the laws relating to general taxation, public procurement and social security. A separate Public Finance Code has not been adopted, although the idea has been raised.2

The Constitution and the two organic laws are accompanied by a hierarchical system of laws and regulations that elaborate on budget processes and procedures.3 The 1962 Public Accounting Decree lays out the responsibilities of key players in budget and accounting processes. A 1922 law put the financial controllers under the authority of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry (MINEFI). These controllers are responsible for a priori checks on expenditure commitments. The accounting and expenditure controls reflect the traditional highly centralised approach to budget management.

France is a member of the European Union, for which budgetary rules for achieving macroeconomic stability have been issued. In particular, the Maastricht criteria limit the general government fiscal deficit to a maximum of 3% of GDP

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OECD JOURNAL ON BUDGETING – VOLUME 4 – NO. 3 – ISSN 1608-7143 – © OECD 2004

 

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