Public Sector budgeting - What to Do and How to Do It

Target group
This workshop will be of interest to officials and experts from ministries, executive agencies, regional governments, municipalities and other public sector bodies such as educational institutions who are responsible for preparing or reviewing budgets at organisational and/or activity/project level, including budgets for EU-financed projects.
It will also be of interest to academics, officials in European institutions and international financing institutions and service providers (including NGOs) interested in bidding for EU-financed projects.

Description
Making public sector budget choices is often complex for public authorities and is now particularly challenging at a time of crisis in European public finances. And the choices to be made now will often have important long term consequences for both the delivery of public services and the stability of the public finances
This workshop will help you face the key challenges in your own environment of what to do at different stages of the process and how to do it using the practical experience of experts who have faced these challenges.
Specifically, it will help you to understand how to prepare public sector budgets and make realistic choices about prioritise public sector expenditure to make best use of limited resources in difficult times.

Method
The workshop will be based on presentations and case studies, with an emphasis on a high level of interactivity. Most importantly, the seminar will offer an excellent platform to exchange experiences and concerns in preparing and reviewing budgets at organisational and activity/project level, including budgets for EU-financed projects.

Objectives
At the end of the workshop you will go away with a better understanding of:
• The role of budgeting in public financial management
• Current challenges associated with making choices in preparation of public sector budgets at organisational and activity/project level
• Public sector budget preparation processes and budgeting techniques, such as zero-based budgeting and performance based budgeting
• How to conduct public sector budget reviews and service reviews in parallel.

Programme
The programme will commence on Tuesday 4 December at 09.30 hrs and finish on Wednesday 5 December at 17.00 hrs.

Course Venue
The workshop will take place at the delegation of Regione Molise, Rue de Toulouse 47, 1040 Brussels, tel.: +32 2 2300890.

Working language
The workshop will be conducted in English.

Fee
The participation fee is € 850 and includes documentation, 2 lunches and refreshments. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.EIPA offers its members a reduction of 10% of the registration fee. For details, please click here.

Registration
Kindly complete the online registration formbefore 10 November 2012.
Your name and address will be part of EIPA's database for our mailing purpose only. If you do not want to be included in our mailing database, please tick the box in the registration form.

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. In any case, the participant or his/her administration will receive an invoice for the payment of the registration fee. For cancellations received after the closing date indicated on the registration form we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless a replacement participant is found.

Cancellation policy
EIPA reserves the right to cancel the seminar up to 2 weeks before the starting date. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, hotel etc.). For EIPA's cancellation policy, please visit our website.