Budgeting in Norway

Norway is a prosperous country with a healthy economy and a very high standard of living. Norway provides a truly unique example of long-term budgetary planning through its successful management of oil assets by means of the Government Pension Fund – Global. This article examines the annual budget process which is an important factor in the health of Norway’s public finances. The cabinet has a central role in formulating the budget via the annual budget conferences. Parliament has a strong formal position, and the Ministry of Finance has a long tradition of providing objective and unbiased information to Parliament. The article also describes the high degree of managerial flexibility, the system of accountability for results, human resource management, financial management and reporting, the use of performance information, and the role of local and regional governments.