Open Budget Survey

Open Budget Survey 2023- now available

Register for event!

The International Budget Partnership will launch its latest Open Budget Survey report – the only independent, comparative, and regular measure of budget transparency and accountability around the world – at a virtual public event on the 29th of may (register here). This latest survey marks our largest round ever—with 125 countries assessed. As conversations around climate financing, debt and other key issues loom large, the budget process is an essential space for governments to engage their people in critical decisions they are making around how to raise and spend public money.

The launch offers a unique chance to showcase key findings from the survey and concrete paths to make budget processes more inclusive and accountable to everyday people. It provides an opportunity to feature remarks from leading government reform champions and civil society leaders. Speakers will present their experiences advancing greater accountability in their country’s budget processes and share lessons for others on a path to reform.

The results of the Open Budget Survey 2023 are now available. Compare with the results of 2021 edition.

OBS 2023

Global Report

Executive Summary

Portugal’s Open Budget Index

OBS 2021

Global Report

Executive Summary

Portugal’s Open Budget Index

The Open Budget Survey (OBS) is the only global indicator to measure and compare transparency, public participation, and oversight of the budget process internationally. This study, led by the International Budget Partnership (a Washington think tank) every two years, is conducted in a decentralized manner, with a team responsible for analyzing the national situation in each of the 117 countries participating in this initiative. In Portugal, the partner of this project is the Institute of Public Policy since the 2015 edition.

The conclusions of the OBS are the result of an objective and rigorous survey consisting of 145 research questions assessing three key areas: transparency, participation and oversight. To each country is assigned a score of 0 to 100 in these domains (which determines its ranking in the Open Budget Index), based on the analysis of the publicly available budget documentation.

There are eight budget key documents analyzed: Pre-Budget Statement, Executive Budget Proposal, Enacted Budget, Citizens Budget, In-year Report, Mid-year review, Year-end Report, and Audit Report.