欧盟预算改革的潜力与局限性研究（英文版）_196页-5mb

Summary of "Study on the Potential and Limitations of Reforming the Financing of the EU Budget"

Core Content

This report, commissioned by the European Commission and prepared for the High Level Group on Own Resources, examines the potential and limitations of reforming the EU budget financing system. It evaluates the current own resources mechanism, the net balance logic, and the feasibility of introducing new own resources, including the financial transaction tax (FTT), while considering legal, political, and economic implications.

Main Views and Key Information

1. Current Own Resources System

• The EU budget is currently financed through only three own resources: VAT, corporate income tax (CIT), and contributions from Member States.
• The net balance approach is prevalent, where Member States' contributions are adjusted based on their net financial position, leading to rewards and rebates.
• This system is based on the Fontainebleau agreement (1984), which allowed for excess contributions without clear criteria for assessment.
• The UK rebate is a notable example of this system, reflecting the lack of a solid economic rationale for EU spending at the time.

2. Limitations of the Net Balance Approach

• The net balance logic is illogical in the current context, as it ignores the economic and cross-border impacts of the EU budget.
• It fails to reflect the increasing EU added value and the shift from local to EU-level objectives.
• The approach is not functional for ensuring fairness and equity, and is increasingly disconnected from the real needs of the EU and its citizens.

3. Need for Reform

• Despite numerous studies advocating for reform, the net balance system remains dominant.
• The EU budget has evolved, but the logic of net balances has not, leading to mismatch between expenditure objectives and resource allocation.
• A new own resources system is necessary to align with modern EU objectives such as climate change, economic stability, and territorial cohesion.

4. Challenges to Reform

• Fiscal heterogeneity among Member States complicates reform efforts.
• Power and voting rules in the EU institutions, particularly the Council and Parliament, create institutional asymmetries and sovereignty concerns.
• National parliaments play a crucial role in approving reforms, and their involvement is essential for democratic legitimacy.

5. Variable Geometry as a Reform Option

• The report explores variable geometry as a potential tool for reform, especially in the context of the FTT.
• Enhanced cooperation under Article 20 of the TEU and Article 113 of the TFEU is considered a legal basis for implementing the FTT.
• The conditions for enhanced cooperation are met, with nine participating Member States already confirmed.
• The FTT proposal does not violate international law or EU legal principles, and does not distort competition or free movement of capital.

6. Potential New Own Resources

• The study identifies four potential new own resources: VAT, CIT, FTT, and carbon levies.
• These resources raise economic efficiency and distributional equity concerns.
• EU VAT and EU CIT could be additional levies on existing national tax bases, generating horizontal and vertical externalities.
• Carbon levies and the Emissions Trading System (ETS) are considered for addressing climate change and environmental sustainability.

7. Assessment Criteria for New Own Resources

• The selection of new resources should be based on economic efficiency, conformity with EU objectives, political and institutional legitimacy, and equity.
• The FTT is highlighted as a novel option, though it is controversial and complex to implement.
• The GNI-based resource is proposed as a progressive alternative, though it requires improvement and transparency.

8. Pathways to Reform

• Reform should not be pursued in isolation but as part of a package deal that includes expenditure reforms.
• Flexibility mechanisms in the budget are needed to respond to unexpected events such as economic crises or migration challenges.
• Dissociating expenditures from resources is essential to align the budget with EU-level objectives and to avoid distortions.

9. Future Considerations

• The eurozone budget is a controversial and complex topic, with potential benefits in macro-financial stability and sovereignty.
• The EU budget should reflect a European, not just a Brussels, perspective, focusing on common challenges and shared responsibilities.

Conclusion

• The net balance approach is outdated and needs to be replaced.
• Variable geometry offers a realistic path for reform, especially with the FTT.
• A modern, equitable, and transparent own resources mechanism is essential for the EU budget to effectively support European policies and citizen needs.
• The reform process must involve national parliaments, respect sovereignty, and be guided by a dual process of assessment and prioritization based on multiple criteria.