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OECD Economics Department Working Papers

Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.

The views expressed in these papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the OECD or of the governments of its member countries.

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Enhancing the Effectiveness of Public Expenditure in Sweden

This paper analyses the main features of Sweden’s public expenditure and addresses some key policy issues. Public spending is high relative to GDP, reflecting the wide support for the Swedish welfare state. The institutional framework within which spending decisions are made has both strengths and weaknesses: the expenditure ceilings need to be reinforced, more prioritisation of expenditure is needed, and state agencies need to become more accountable for their performance. Outlays and outcomes are examined for childcare and education, health, caring for the elderly, and social insurance, where some aspects function very well and others need considerable improvement. Some tools and techniques for getting better results from public spending are also considered, including contracting out and user charges. More could be done to clearly set out the costs as well as the benefits of social choices ...

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Keywords: public expenditure, public sector efficiency, fiscal federalism, budget systems, education, Sweden, welfare state
JEL: H53: Public Economics / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies / Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs; H55: Public Economics / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies / Social Security and Public Pensions; H11: Public Economics / Structure and Scope of Government / Structure, Scope, and Performance of Government; H61: Public Economics / National Budget, Deficit, and Debt / Budget; Budget Systems; H52: Public Economics / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies / Government Expenditures and Education; H72: Public Economics / State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations / State and Local Budget and Expenditures; H57: Public Economics / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies: Procurement; H51: Public Economics / National Government Expenditures and Related Policies / Government Expenditures and Health
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Author(s)
Deborah Roseveare

10 Dec 2002

43 pages

No. 345

https://doi.org/10.1787/706857274877

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