Application of fiscal rules in the period of overcoming the consequences of the war

Abstract

Introduction. During the period of overcoming the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the risks of compliance with fiscal rules have intensified. Fiscal policy restrictions imposed by them restrained the active budget expansion necessary to increase spending and attract resources to finance adopted state programs. The task of revising the application of fiscal rules, determining rational levels of state budget financing, and preventing critical levels of the state debt from exceeding has arisen. Problem Statement. The negative effects of the pandemic and the war required a sharp increase in public expenditures, adjustments to their structure, and an increase in financial resources to cover them. Compliance with the requirements stipulated by the fiscal rules in force at that time did not allow to go beyond the accepted limits (regarding the maintenance of the indicators of the budget deficit and state debt). There was a need to make changes to the implementation of the budget policy to take into account the restrictions imposed by the fiscal rules. The purpose is to assess the application of fiscal rules in the period of overcoming the consequences of the war, as well as their adjustment in the aspect of reform programs in the EU. Methods. Conceptual approaches to complying with fiscal rules during the war and overcoming its consequences are defined. The issue of methodical provision of fiscal rules, application of mechanisms and budgetary procedures with the aim of their implementation in the practice of state administration is revealed. Results. In Ukraine, the introduction of fiscal rules into the practice of public finance management is in the initial stages. Unlike the EU, they contain only digital limits of budget aggregates, but do not provide for the use of mechanisms for maintaining fiscal stability and debt sustainability. It is also not provided for the application of the necessary budgetary procedures directing the state administration bodies to comply with these rules. During the period of overcoming the consequences of the pandemic and the war, fiscal rules began to restrain the implementation of an active expansionary policy, and therefore their effect was suspended. The recovery of Ukraine involves a review of the use of fiscal rules, taking into account the experience of their reform in the EU. Conclusions. The application of fiscal rules in Ukraine requires significant changes for their application in the practice of budget management, which take into account the results of their use in the EU member states, as well as the features of the economic and social development of our country. Such changes include: the adoption of real medium-term budget goals, the use of preventive mechanisms aimed at developing the state budget taking into account updated approaches, the adjustment of budget operations (in cases of deviations from the accepted requirements), the use of budget procedures that direct the government to comply with fiscal rules for the early correction of such deviations, deepening the transparency of budget operations, strengthening monitoring and evaluation of the use of budget rules by the parliament and specially created independent fiscal institutions.