Budgeting is not only a technical process but also a highly political one because technique and discretionary judgement are intertwined, and different actors have different interests. Budgetary procedures can and should help to reduce various types of information imbalance and help local authorities to deliver services more effectively. This study highlights certain sensitive areas in the budgeting process, analyses the solutions tried by the different Council of Europe member states and identifies practices that seem particulary worthwhile. It suggest finally conclusions and guidelines for central governments and for local and regional authorities.
Budgeting is not only a technical process but also a highly political one because technique and discretionary judgement are intertwined, and different actors have different interests. Budgetary procedures can and should help to reduce various types of information imbalance and help local authorities to deliver services more effectively. This study highlights certain sensitive areas in the budgeting process, analyses the solutions tried by the different Council of Europe member states and identifies practices that seem particulary worthwhile. It suggest finally conclusions and guidelines for central governments and for local and regional authorities.
Due to is public finance position in the early 1990's, matching the deficit and debt criteria set by the Maastricht Treaty was not an easy task for Belgium. Efforts from all components of the public sector were required and local government delivered important efforts on both deficit and debt, despite the fact that local government supervision is not a federal but well a regional task. This article explains how local government is articulated with other components of general government, details its achievments and provide some light on the political process. ; Peer reviewed
L'ouvrage discute la dotation globale de fonctionnement, qui constitue en quelque sorte l'équivalent du Fonds des communes en Belgique. Dans ce cadre, notre contribution apporte une comparaison avec le système de financement des entités infra-nationales, qu'elles soient régionales/communautaires ou locales. ; This publication debates on the current general grant scheme to French municipalities. Our contribution brings a comparison with the Belgian schemes for financing sub-national entities (Regions/Communities and local government). ; Peer reviewed
Within the framework of considérations regarding the training of imams in Belgium, the King Baudouin Foundation sought to produce a report portraying the situation concerning organised secularism and religions in the country. The main aim of such a report was to outline the training of both ministers of recognised religions and secular delegates. In a second phase, a similar approach was taken to describe the situation in a few other European countries. Belgium has no legal provisions or regulations that are recognised as such by the state and impose minimum requirements on the training of religious ministers or secular delegates. Consequently, it is the internal rules laid down by the various religions themselves that define such training requirements. However, some training of this type is organised as part of recognised, subsidised higher education and therefore leads to the conferral of a legally recognised title. Similar situations apply in some other countries. The present study discusses the situation in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany and Sweden. In all these countries, it is entirely up to the respective religions themselves to stipulate their internal training requirements. However, as in Belgium, such mandatory training may be organised within the framework of higher education that is financed and/or organised by the state and, if need be, incorporated in a bachelor's or master's degree. One significant observation is that in the countries in question combinations of academic and religious requirements apply in various instances, indeed for a relatively large number of religions (at least in the Netherlands and Great Britain). The experience gained in France, the Netherlands and Great Britain also highlights how divided Muslim communities are with respect to the training requirements applying to imams. The establishment of internal standards applying solely within Islam would appear to constitute a first, essential step towards the creation of suitable training that applies to adherents of all the various 'trends' within this particular religious community. In this connection, the Executive of Belgian Muslims could play a crucial role. Furthermore, in Belgium the salaries of religious ministers and secular delegates are paid by the federal government, in line with its recognition of the religions in question, based on criteria that include their 'service to society'. The question arising next concerns the academic qualification to be awarded at the end of such training. No doubt it would make sense to impose at least the requirement equivalent to that expected by the ministers of other religions. Experience gained abroad also underscores the value of calling upon the expertise and skills already on offer at higher education institutions, teaching universities and research establishments when putting together a training course based on a progressive growth model, developing ideas for the short, medium and long term. If training for imams is offered as an option in higher or university education, as a community-related subject, Belgium's various Communities will have to be invited, as appropriate, to join in the associated thought process. Similarly, the constitutionality of making the payment of a religious minister's salary dependent on their having undergone a specific training course will need to be addressed. In this connection, we refer you to the work being done by the committee recently set up by Minister Onkelinx, which is due to publish a report some time in 2006. Finally, the social role played by imams should not be ignored. In this respect, any training project will also have to take on board considerations such as how to meet short-term needs (especially with regard to languages and knowledge of the society in question, particularly compared with serving imams) and subsequent developments (e.g. taking account of young Muslims born in the respective country, most of whom will have the corresponding nationality).
Within the framework of considérations regarding the training of imams in Belgium, the King Baudouin Foundation sought to produce a report portraying the situation concerning organised secularism and religions in the country. The main aim of such a report was to outline the training of both ministers of recognised religions and secular delegates. In a second phase, a similar approach was taken to describe the situation in a few other European countries. Belgium has no legal provisions or regulations that are recognised as such by the state and impose minimum requirements on the training of religious ministers or secular delegates. Consequently, it is the internal rules laid down by the various religions themselves that define such training requirements. However, some training of this type is organised as part of recognised, subsidised higher education and therefore leads to the conferral of a legally recognised title. Similar situations apply in some other countries. The present study discusses the situation in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany and Sweden. In all these countries, it is entirely up to the respective religions themselves to stipulate their internal training requirements. However, as in Belgium, such mandatory training may be organised within the framework of higher education that is financed and/or organised by the state and, if need be, incorporated in a bachelor's or master's degree. One significant observation is that in the countries in question combinations of academic and religious requirements apply in various instances, indeed for a relatively large number of religions (at least in the Netherlands and Great Britain). The experience gained in France, the Netherlands and Great Britain also highlights how divided Muslim communities are with respect to the training requirements applying to imams. The establishment of internal standards applying solely within Islam would appear to constitute a first, essential step towards the creation of suitable training that applies to adherents of all the various 'trends' within this particular religious community. In this connection, the Executive of Belgian Muslims could play a crucial role. Furthermore, in Belgium the salaries of religious ministers and secular delegates are paid by the federal government, in line with its recognition of the religions in question, based on criteria that include their 'service to society'. The question arising next concerns the academic qualification to be awarded at the end of such training. No doubt it would make sense to impose at least the requirement equivalent to that expected by the ministers of other religions. Experience gained abroad also underscores the value of calling upon the expertise and skills already on offer at higher education institutions, teaching universities and research establishments when putting together a training course based on a progressive growth model, developing ideas for the short, medium and long term. If training for imams is offered as an option in higher or university education, as a community-related subject, Belgium's various Communities will have to be invited, as appropriate, to join in the associated thought process. Similarly, the constitutionality of making the payment of a religious minister's salary dependent on their having undergone a specific training course will need to be addressed. In this connection, we refer you to the work being done by the committee recently set up by Minister Onkelinx, which is due to publish a report some time in 2006. Finally, the social role played by imams should not be ignored. In this respect, any training project will also have to take on board considerations such as how to meet short-term needs (especially with regard to languages and knowledge of the society in question, particularly compared with serving imams) and subsequent developments (e.g. taking account of young Muslims born in the respective country, most of whom will have the corresponding nationality).
Within the framework of considérations regarding the training of imams in Belgium, the King Baudouin Foundation sought to produce a report portraying the situation concerning organised secularism and religions in the country. The main aim of such a report was to outline the training of both ministers of recognised religions and secular delegates. In a second phase, a similar approach was taken to describe the situation in a few other European countries. Belgium has no legal provisions or regulations that are recognised as such by the state and impose minimum requirements on the training of religious ministers or secular delegates. Consequently, it is the internal rules laid down by the various religions themselves that define such training requirements. However, some training of this type is organised as part of recognised, subsidised higher education and therefore leads to the conferral of a legally recognised title. Similar situations apply in some other countries. The present study discusses the situation in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany and Sweden. In all these countries, it is entirely up to the respective religions themselves to stipulate their internal training requirements. However, as in Belgium, such mandatory training may be organised within the framework of higher education that is financed and/or organised by the state and, if need be, incorporated in a bachelor's or master's degree. One significant observation is that in the countries in question combinations of academic and religious requirements apply in various instances, indeed for a relatively large number of religions (at least in the Netherlands and Great Britain). The experience gained in France, the Netherlands and Great Britain also highlights how divided Muslim communities are with respect to the training requirements applying to imams. The establishment of internal standards applying solely within Islam would appear to constitute a first, essential step towards the creation of suitable training that applies to adherents of all the various 'trends' within this particular religious community. In this connection, the Executive of Belgian Muslims could play a crucial role. Furthermore, in Belgium the salaries of religious ministers and secular delegates are paid by the federal government, in line with its recognition of the religions in question, based on criteria that include their 'service to society'. The question arising next concerns the academic qualification to be awarded at the end of such training. No doubt it would make sense to impose at least the requirement equivalent to that expected by the ministers of other religions. Experience gained abroad also underscores the value of calling upon the expertise and skills already on offer at higher education institutions, teaching universities and research establishments when putting together a training course based on a progressive growth model, developing ideas for the short, medium and long term. If training for imams is offered as an option in higher or university education, as a community-related subject, Belgium's various Communities will have to be invited, as appropriate, to join in the associated thought process. Similarly, the constitutionality of making the payment of a religious minister's salary dependent on their having undergone a specific training course will need to be addressed. In this connection, we refer you to the work being done by the committee recently set up by Minister Onkelinx, which is due to publish a report some time in 2006. Finally, the social role played by imams should not be ignored. In this respect, any training project will also have to take on board considerations such as how to meet short-term needs (especially with regard to languages and knowledge of the society in question, particularly compared with serving imams) and subsequent developments (e.g. taking account of young Muslims born in the respective country, most of whom will have the corresponding nationality).
Résumé Jean-François Husson et Caroline Sägesser poursuivent leur étude en abordant de manière détaillée le financement public de la laïcité organisée tel qu'il est prévu par la loi du 21 juin 2002. La réforme met en place le régime légal qui devait découler de la reconnaissance constitutionnelle de la laïcité mais qui n'avait été mis en œuvre jusqu'ici que de manière provisoire et incomplète. La Région wallonne par exemple imposait par circulaire des dépenses « non facultatives » aux communes pour introduire, dans une logique compensatoire, un certain parallélisme entre les cultes reconnus et la laïcité. Jean-François Husson et Caroline Sägesser montrent clairement la situation financière telle qu'elle existait avant la loi du 21 juin 2002 et les perspectives financières offertes par cette loi, qui prévoit désormais des dépenses obligatoires à charge des provinces. L'étude se penche dans sa deuxième partie sur les dépenses publiques indépendantes de la nouvelle loi et qui découlent indirectement du lent processus de reconnaissance de la laïcité, à savoir l'assistance morale spécialisée et les émissions philosophiques en radio et télévision : il s'agit de dépenses publiques qui s'inscrivent dans une politique générale d'organisation et de soutien financier du pluralisme philosophique en Belgique. La troisième partie présente le statut particulier du cours de morale non confessionnelle dans l'enseignement obligatoire. Il s'agit ici encore du financement public du pluralisme philosophique. La quatrième partie évoque d'autres interventions publiques en faveur de la laïcité, qui ne sont pas directement liées à son statut de conception philosophique reconnue (par exemple les avantages fiscaux ou les subsides au titre de l'éducation permanente), mais qui permettent de se faire une représentation plus complète de son organisation et de ses modes de financement actuels. Dans leur conclusion Jean-François Husson et Caroline Sägesser abordent les perspectives offertes par la nouvelle loi, et notamment les conséquences qu'elle peut avoir sur le système de financement public des cultes et de la laïcité organisée dans son ensemble.
Résumé Au terme d'un parcours de longue haleine, le projet de reconnaissance de la laïcité organisée vient d'aboutir avec la promulgation de la loi du 21 juin 2002 relative au Conseil central des communautés philosophiques non confessionnelles de Belgique, aux délégués et aux établissements chargés de la gestion des intérêts matériels et financiers des communautés philosophiques non confessionnelles reconnues. Les traitements et les pensions des délégués qui fournissent une assistance morale non confessionnelle seront désormais pris en charge par l'État, en application de l'article 181 de la Constitution, qui avait été révisé en ce sens il y a près de dix ans. Caroline Sägesser et Jean-François Husson ouvrent leur étude sur une explication des significations du terme « laïcité » et sur une première partie consacrée à une présentation générale de la situation des cultes et du mouvement laïque en Belgique dans une perspective historique. Une deuxième partie présente ensuite la structuration progressive du mouvement laïque, et une troisième partie détaille les premiers éléments de la législation qui ont préparé la reconnaissance de la laïcité organisée. Enfin, les quatrième et cinquième parties sont consacrées à la loi du 21 juin 2002 : sa genèse et son parcours parlementaire d'une part, son contenu de l'autre. Le financement de la laïcité tel qu'il était pratiqué jusqu'à aujourd'hui et tel qu'il est organisé par la nouvelle loi fera l'objet d'une livraison ultérieure du Courrier hebdomadaire.
This publication details the political process having led to the official recognition of the free thinkers organisations on a footing quite silmilar to religious denominations.
This publication details the political process having led to the official recognition of the free thinkers organisations on a footing quite silmilar to religious denominations.
This publication details the political process having led to the official recognition of the free thinkers organisations on a footing quite silmilar to religious denominations. ; Peer reviewed
Ce bref article présente les justifications et modalités de mise en oeuvre du pilotage macro-budgétaire des finances locales, c.-à-d. de leur intégration dans le pilotage global du secteur des administrations publiques tant en termes de solde de financement que de dette.
