Memo: EU Budget 2014 and 2015: What’s the issue? Why does it matter?

In recent years, the budgetary authority (Council and European Parliament) have adopted annual payment appropriations for the EU that are consistently below the European Commission's estimate of what is actually needed, despite the fact that the Commission's proposals for the EU budget are always based on estimates from Member States themselves (how many farmers will get direct payments next year, how many Cohesion Policy projects are to be completed in each country next year etc).

After the European Parliament's adoption of its position on the 2015 budget, 21 days of conciliation will start between the Council, the Parliament and the Commission to reach an agreement on the 2015 EU budget and on the proposed various 2014 amending budgets.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Letter from President Barroso to the Italian Presidency of the EU Council on the EU budget payment shortages http://www.europeansources.info/record/statement-letter-from-president-barroso-to-the-italian-presidency-of-the-eu-council-on-the-eu-budget-payment-shortages/

Blog: Open Europe, 02.10.14: When is money not "real money"? Let's ask the European Commission... http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/when-is-money-not-real-money-lets-ask.html

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