Irish Regions Office Website

September 17, 2007

Launch of EU Budget Review

On September 12, the European Commission formally opened a review of the EU’s 20 year old budget rules with the launch of a consultation document on the future of the EU finances.

Adoption of the consultation paper, entitled Reforming the Budget, Changing Europe, marks a first public step in the process of the reform of all aspects of EU spending and resources, as agreed in May 2006 by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.

In the paper, the Commission lists the new priorities to be concentrated on in the future: scientific and technological progress, Europe’s aging population, social and economic gaps between regions, climate change, energy, migration, security and foreign policy. The Commission also highlights the problem of the EU's own resources and correction mechanisms, touching on two political hot potatoes: a possible EU tax and the UK's annual rebate from the EU budget, and suggests reform of outdated budgetary tools, such as the CAP, which still accounts for more than 40% of the EU’s €100 billion annual budget.

The consultation is open to all interested parties at local, regional, national and European levels interested in shaping the Commission’s work on the Budget Review. The consultation will run until 15 April 2008. In spring 2008 there will be a political conference organised in association with the European Parliament with an initial analysis of the results of the public debate. Based on that, in the end 2008/begining 2009 the Commission will present the Budget Review. Further details at: http://ec.europa.eu/budget/reform/index_en.htm

Posted by iroadmin at September 17, 2007 07:14 AM