Prague Conference, November 16, 2005 - A conference on fiscal reform challenges in Central Europe and the Baltic countries held at the Congress Center of the Czech National Bank.

The conference discussed a number of key, current issues in public finance reform across the region. It featured presentation and discussion of papers on intergovernmental fiscal relations, health care financing, higher education financing, and fiscal risks related to public-private partnerships, including important lessons from reforms both within and outside of the region. The concluding high level panel session discussed the macro-fiscal implications of various reforms and integrated these into a broader public finance reform strategy.

The conference marked the conclusion of the first part of the World Bank’s multi-annual analytical work program on fiscal issues in the region.

Ministers of Finance from the eight new Central European and Baltic EU member states, as well as the Ministers of Economy, Education, Health, and Infrastructure, and the Central Bank Governors were invited to the conference. Ministers of Finance of Bulgaria, Croatia, andRomania were also invited, who have a strong interest in learning from the experience of the new EU member states, and experts from other international organizations and other EU member states.