Article 2

For the purposes of this Directive, the definitions of ‘government’, ‘deficit’ and ‘investment’ set out in Article 2 of the Protocol (No 12) on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the TEU and to the TFEU shall apply. The definition of sub-sectors of general government set out in point 2.70 of Annex A to Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 shall also apply.

In addition, the following definition shall apply:

‘budgetary framework’ means the set of arrangements, procedures, rules and institutions that underlie the conduct of budgetary policies of general government, in particular:

1. (a)

   systems of budgetary accounting and statistical reporting;

2. (b)

   rules and procedures governing the preparation of forecasts for budgetary planning;

3. (c)

   country-specific numerical fiscal rules, which contribute to the consistency of Member States’ conduct of fiscal policy with their respective obligations under the TFEU, expressed in terms of a summary indicator of budgetary performance, such as the government budget deficit, borrowing, debt, or a major component thereof;

4. (d)

   budgetary procedures comprising procedural rules to underpin the budget process at all stages;

5. (e)

   medium-term budgetary frameworks as a specific set of national budgetary procedures that extend the horizon for fiscal policy-making beyond the annual budgetary calendar, including the setting of policy priorities and of medium-term budgetary objectives;

6. (f)

   arrangements for independent monitoring and analysis, to enhance the transparency of elements of the budget process;

7. (g)

   mechanisms and rules that regulate fiscal relationships between public authorities across sub-sectors of general government.