Can the EU budget support climate policy in Central and Eastern Europe?

Abstract:

In October 2010 the Commission released the long-awaited review of the EU budget, setting out the parameters of the debate around the next financial perspective, 2014-2020.

The Budget Review outlined a rather conservative programme for reform of the Cohesion and Common Agricultural Policy, largely envisaging the preservation of existing objectives and instruments. However, policymakers have also called for a stronger integration of EU climate policy with EU fiscal policy, particularly with regard to the Central and Eastern European (CEE) Member States.

The budget has also been proposed as a mechanism to compensate for the potential loss of surplus Assigned Amount Units under the Kyoto Protocol. Likewise, the 20/20/20 climate and energy targets were placed at the heart of the EU 2020 strategy.

The question therefore arises: What role should the EU budget play in supporting climate policy in CEE Member States? This paper seeks to explore some of the issues around integrating climate policy more closely into the EU budget.