A comparative view of local finances in EU member countries: are there any lessons to be drawn?

This chapter draws heavily on the contents and results of a wide-ranging survey of ‘local’ finances in the 15 member countries of the European Union, which was recently carried out by myself and a group of colleagues on behalf of the EU Commission, XXI Directorate, which should be considered the real ‘owner’ of half the data presented here. A general comparative study was eventually produced by myself on the 15 contributions, the core of which is reported here, with some refinements.