Proceedings from the ECFIN Workshop "The budgetary implications of structural reforms"

Most of the reforms discussed within the framework of the Lisbon strategy will benefit public finances in the long term. However, in the short-term, there could a trade-off between some structural reforms and budgetary discipline. This possible tension between reforms and fiscal discipline was identified by academic economists as a possible drawback of the Stability and Growth Pact since its inception. Unfortunately, to date there has been relatively little research on the relationship between structural reforms and government accounts. The workshop "Budgetary implications of structural reforms" organized on 2 December 2005 by DG ECFIN of the European Commission aimed at filling this gap. This issue of the DG ECFIN Economic Paper series collects the papers presented at the workshop.