Intergovernmental Transfer Formulas in EU countries

[Glen Wright]

Dear Colleagues:  I am interested to get examples of the intergovernmental transfer formulas for EU countries.  These would be formulas for block or unconditional grants, as well as conditional grants.  These could be by various sectors, education, health, etc. Also, any transfer formulas for local government administration.  Or if you know of any recent studies on comparison of the intergovernmental systems of EC countries I would be interested in those as well.   Any information or materials you could provide would be appreciated.

[petagny]

The UK's Barnett formula - for distributing (some) financial resources between England, Wales, N. Ireland and Scotland - has been in the news recently in relation to the Scottish independence vote. The attached House of Commons Research Paper discusses it.

Interestingly, it's author, Lord Barnett, has just died at the age of 91. As far as I understand, he only ever intended his formula to be a stop-gap, and certainly not as a model to be copied.

 http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/nov/03/lord-barnett

[petagny]

Chapter 12 of the attached World Bank guidelines might be helpful.

There are examples from Australia, South Africa and Canada in the attached practitioner's guidelines.

The paper by JAMIE BOEX and JORGE MARTINEZ-VAZQUEZ might also be helpful.

[John Short]

Sad to hear of the passing of Joel Barnett - see the postings under Devolution - South of the Border for more on his legacy

[Glen Wright]

Dear Colleagues:  Thanks for these references.  They are very useful.