2012年-CEPS欧洲政策研究中心_The_EU_Budget_3页_61kb

EU Budget Reform – Is This the Moment?

Core Content

The document "The EU Budget – Is this the moment for reform?" published by CEPS in October 2007 discusses the potential for reforming the EU budget in 2008, following a public consultation initiated by Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The main argument is that, despite numerous failed attempts at reform over the past two decades, the political climate and structural changes in the budget may now make reform feasible.

Main Views

• Need for Reform: The EU budget is not aligned with the current realities of the Union, and there is a growing consensus that it should be restructured to better reflect its political priorities.

• Political Challenges: Member states have historically focused on minimizing their financial contributions or maximizing their benefits rather than on improving the budget's structure. This has made it difficult to reach a political agreement on reform.

• Favorable Political Climate: In 2008, the heads of state of France, Germany, and the UK—three of the most influential member states—expressed a willingness to reform the EU budget. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in particular, emphasized the need for a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013.

• Structural Changes in the Budget: The 2007–2013 budgetary framework was structured into five headings, intended to reflect the Union's political priorities. These headings include:

  • Heading 1a: Competitiveness for growth and employment
  • Heading 1b: Cohesion for growth and employment
  • Heading 2: Preservation and management of natural resources
  • Heading 3a: Freedom, security, and justice
  • Heading 3b: Other internal policies
  • Heading 4: The EU as a global partner
  • Heading 5: Administration

  Although the actual spending levels remained largely unchanged, this structure created a foundation for future reforms by aligning the budget with EU priorities.

• Opportunity for Reform: A clause was added to the 2007–2013 budgetary agreement, mandating the European Commission to propose a budget review in 2008 or 2009. This is seen as a unique opportunity to restructure the budget and improve its efficiency.

• Learning from Past Reforms: The document draws a parallel with the 'Fishler Reform' of the CAP in 2003, where a Mid-Term review allowed for significant changes. It suggests that framing reforms as 'reviews' rather than 'negotiations' makes them more palatable to member states.

Key Information

• Public Consultation: The Commission launched a public consultation on the EU budget in September 2007, which will inform the proposed budget review.
• Barroso's Confidence: President Barroso emphasized that the budget review is a "once in a generation opportunity" to reform the EU budget and its working mechanisms.
• Strategic Balance: The Commission must strike a delicate balance in its proposal to ensure it is both politically acceptable and sufficiently ambitious to drive meaningful reform.
• Impact of Reform: A successful reform would increase the EU's effectiveness by aligning funding with its priorities and could also enhance its popularity among citizens, as the budget is a highly visible and well-covered topic in national media.

Conclusion

The document concludes that the conditions are now in place for a significant reform of the EU budget. The political alignment of major member states, the structural changes in the budget, and the opportunity for a comprehensive review in 2008–2009 all contribute to a more favorable environment for reform. However, the success of this reform will depend on the Commission's ability to craft a proposal that is both diplomatic and bold enough to address the long-standing issues in EU financing.