THE BRAZILIAN BUDGET PROCESS: FROM THE PPA TO THE LOA AND ITS FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL MECHANISMS

Abstract

The public budget is an important instrument for planning the public spending needed to meet the social demands set out in a public agenda as a priority. However, providing it with public financial resources requires compliance with legal norms that corroborate an effective spending plan as well as monitoring the impacts resulting from such spending. By means of a bibliographical survey, the aim of this article was to demonstrate the main concepts and relevant aspects of budget planning instruments in the public sector, such as the Multi-Year Plan (PPA), the Budget Guidelines Law (LDO), the Annual Budget Law (LOA) and Additional Credits, as well as to explore the stages of the budget cycle and the respective deadlines and validity of these instruments. The aim was also to describe the path taken by the Brazilian budget organization and planning process, from the preparation of the budget proposal by the Executive Branch, through the entire sieve of discussion and approval by the Legislative Branch, to the evaluation and accountability control phases.