Publication

This paper discusses the budget and budget-making process of the EU. The author argues that the composition of the EU budget as well as the budgetary decision-making procedures have not kept up with the widening and deepening of the EU. The budget is still determined through inter-governmental negotiation in which no entity defends the over-arching European interest. According to the author, the Reform Treaty does not improve this state of affairs because it cements the primacy of national interests and includes a strong status quo bias. The author therefore suggests the introduction of sunset clauses into the budget.