Publication

This report discusses the EU budget at a time when the EU Commission is undertaking a full review of its expenditures and resources. The author argues that any analysis of the budget has to take into account the political realities of the EU as well as formal theorems. The report presents a list of principles for evaluating policies funded by the EU budget and their performance in achieving their stated aims, along with a discussion of their shortcomings. It discusses budget expenditures, the own resources system, decision-making procedures and the 2007-13 financial perspectives agreement.