Research project: The European budget

With the publication, in 2005, of an influential paper written by Jacques Le Cacheux (European Budget: The Poisonous Budget Rebate), Notre Europe made a significant contribution to the ongoing debates on the reform of the EU budget, by criticising the dominance of short-sighted national interests on EU budgetary negotiations. The announcement of a comprehensive review on the EU budget, to be held in 2008/2009, has given Notre Europe the opportunity to further its advocacy and research tasks on this area.

It is against this background that Notre Europe has launched a research and advocacy project on the reform of the EU budget. The aim is two-fold:

To provide concrete proposals of spending re-allocation for the next financial perspectives;

To help shift the terms of the debate for subsequent budgetary negotiations, by stimulating discussion and reflection on the functions and structure of the EU budget and on the principles or criteria that should guide EU spending choices.

At a more general level, the project will serve to promote. Notre Europe’s thinking with respect to the reform of the EU budget, in line with Notre Europe’s ambitious vision for Europe.

Three of the key reports that can be found via this website are:

EU Budget Review: Addressing the Thorny Issues, 2008

The case for a European tax: Benefits, practical aspects and options for endowing the EU with a veritable own resource, 2008

Funding the EU Budget with a Genuine Own Resource: The case for a European Tax, 2007