Public finances and institutions

Teacher(s)

Husson Jean-François;

Language

French

Main themes

The course of finances and public institutions aims at providing economic and institutional tools intended to apprehend the finances of the local, regional and Community authorities and the policies followed on the matter. This course will develop the principles, notions and budgetary techniques of the various levels of authorities. It will present the history and the work of the institutions and will attempt to analyze their mode of financing. It will finally take care to give the instruments making it possible to pose an evaluation on the basis of criterion of distributive justice, efficiency and political control.

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	At the end of this course, the students will be able to understand, analyze and evaluate the institutions and the mechanisms and decisions as regards public finances (receipts and expenditures) at the local level (Commune and CPAS), regional (Walloon Region and of Brussels-Capital) and Community (the French and German-speaking Community).

Content

- the role and functions of the State in the economy
- an overview of the Belgian institutional framework (up to local level)
- the revenues and expenditures of the different levels of power and social security (taking the local sector as the main example), as well as the question of budget balances and their financing (debt)
. the motivations and effects of budgetary and fiscal instruments
- a framework for analyzing budgetary and fiscal policies.

Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

The course is given face-to-face and / or remotely depending on health reasons. 30 h course. General presentation supported by examples and exercises and articulated with group work.

Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

Group work on a budget analysis: written work and oral presentation (face to face or remotely). Depending on the circumstances, the assessment may be limited to the written work. Where a student is repeatedly absent, an additional individual work may be requested from the absentee.
In the second session, the work is to be corrected by the students who must present the course evaluation.

Online resources

See the Moodle page of the course.

Bibliography

Voir la page Moodle du cours.
See the Moodle page of the course.

Faculty or entity

OPES