| Author (Person) | Thomson, Ian | |||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | |||||||||
| Series Details | 25.2.00 | |||||||||
| Publication Date | 25/02/2000 | |||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||
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On the 23 February 2000 the European Commission adopted 'orientations' or 'priorities' for the 2001 Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB). This is one of the key early stages in the long process within the European Union to adopt the annual budget, which over a year involves the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Background It is the responsibility of the European Commission to produce a preliminary draft budget each year based upon what the Commission thinks are the requirements of the EU for the forthcoming year, and taking into account anticipated revenue and the multi-annual financial perspective. The 'financial perspective' sets the budgetary ceilings for the major categories of Union expenditure over a period of time in order to keep expenditure within the limits of the resources available This is called 'budgetary discipline' Once the preliminary draft budget is adopted by the European Commission (usually in April each year) the text is sent to the Council for examination and amendment. In turn, the Council adopts a draft budget at first reading (usually in July each year). The European Parliament is then consulted and will adopt a draft budget at first reading (usually in October each year). The climax of the budgetary process comes at the end of the year when the Budget Council holds its second standard meeting of the year (usually in November) to adopt the draft budget at second reading, with the objective of the European Parliament formally adopting the budget at its plenary session in December. The period between the Budget Council in November and the plenary session in December can often be a time of intensive behind-the-scenes inter-institutional negotiations ('conciliation') to resolve serious conflicts between the Council and the European Parliament on details of proposed expenditure. Once adopted, the full text of the budget is published in a gigantic issue of the Official Journal L series (usually in February each year). For example, the EU budget for the year 2000 is published in Official Journal L40, 14.2.00 and comprises 1,800 pages. The full text of the adopted budget is available on CELEX. In addition, the full text of the current budget is also available on EUR-LEX. It often surprises people that the full details and text of the proposed budget for the EU is not publicly available during the time it is being negotiated. Summaries of the texts of the draft budgets adopted by the three Institutions involved in the negotiations are issued in various Press Releases through the year. Key sources are the Press Releases from the Budget Council and the monthly Bulletin of the European Union (search in the 'Index' for 'Budget') To get an account of the budgetary process over one year look in the General Report on the Activities of the European Union (search in the 'Current index' for 'Budget - preliminary draft') Further background information on the EU budget is available in the European Parliament's Fact Sheets: And in SCADPLUS Within the European Commission the key department is the Directorate-General for Budgets, although it is not a very informative website. Other related websites are those for the new European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Court of Auditors (ECA). A more detailed introductory guide to the budget of the European Union can be found in a 'Question and Answer' (available from 13 March 2000). The Preliminary Draft Budget for 2001 The current multi-annual financial perspective covers the period 2000-2006 and was adopted in May 1999 as part of the overall Agenda 2000 settlement [PDF]. A useful summary of the new inter-institutional agreement and financial perspective (2000-06) is available in SCADPLUS It is within this financial context, and that of the political priorities identified in the Commission's Strategic Objectives, 2000-2005 and European Sources Online: In Focus The Commission will formally adopt the draft budget for 2001 in April 2000 and submit it to the Council. Further information within European Sources Online:
Ian Thomson On the 23 February 2000 the European Commission adopted 'priorities' for the 2001 Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB). This is one of the key early stages in the long process within the European Union to adopt the annual budget. |
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| Subject Categories | Economic and Financial Affairs | |||||||||
