Switzerland and Austria, two small, open economies, have emerged fairly unscathed from the financial and economic crisis. Switzerland, above all, is notable for its relative stability. Domestic demand proved to be rather resilient, and in Switzerland, foreign trade performance also contributed...

This paper reviews the fiscal relations between the three levels of government in Austria and points to the scope for reforming them with a view to improving the efficiency of the public sector. Key areas of public sector activity are subject to complex relations across the three layers of...