The EU Budget

The EU Budget is not a topic many would choose for a fascinating discussion among friends, but it is behind every action the EU takes and small changes in the budget can make all the difference to large numbers of people. There is no denying the budget is of vital importance.

At the beginning of May, Budget Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite presented a proposal for the 2009 budget. In it, spending on structural actions for New Member States (NMS), the so-called EU-12, will be double the share it was in 2006 and up from 47% this year, to 50% of the €48.4 billion allocated to support cohesion across Europe.

More important than the yearly budget though is the multi-annual planning for the budget, the next of which will start in 2014. It might seem a long way off, but the European Commission is in the middle of a budget review, which is intended to feed into the next financial perspectives.

A lunch debate was held on 21 May by the Brussels-based Civil Society Contact Group, to discuss the financing of the EU – where does, could and should the money come from. Presentations gave an overview of the current sources that contribute to the EU budget, the problems surrounding VAT as a source and the current situation regarding environmental tax in EU member states. The discussion that followed looked at alternatives to the current sources of funding, bringing up the importance of finding a solution that is equitable and efficient.

Discussions around this topic will continue at Brussels level. NGOs, institutions and individuals were encouraged to contribute to the EC’s budget review.

Links:
Find more information about the EU budget:
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/reform/issues/issues_en.htm
View contributions submitted to the EC in the consultation on the budget:
http://ec.europa.eu/budget/reform/issues/read_en.htm

Information provided by Rebecca Steel, TRIALOG