Public Finance Communities of Practice Meeting

All three CoPs gathered together for the first time in Istanbul in February 2008 to exchange their experiences and to assess the work of PEM PAL. Each CoP had its own meeting, and all three CoPs met to discuss “Monitoring and Evaluation of Public Financial Management Systems”, which was identified by participants as a high priority.

In Istanbul each CoP elected its own executive committee. Before leaving Istanbul, members of the new executive committee of each CoP reported on their plans for the future and identify topics that would interest all three CoPs.

The following topics were identified as a priority:

• risks management in the budget cycle
• performance indicators/program budgeting
• internal control in treasury and budget processes
• learning the budget processes of European Union new member states (eg. Slovenia, Slovakia, Baltic states), and
• IT support to management.

The Treasury and Budget Community of Practices have recognized budget classification as one thematic issues they believe their CoPs should in future discuss jointly.

Since Istanbul the CoPs have been working on their detailed plans of activities for the future (videoconference, workshops, seminars, study tours, for example).