Policy conditionality – a new instrument in the EU budget post-2020?

Abstract:

The EU is facing a range of significant long-term challenges with budget implications. In this context, both the EU institutions and the Member States seem intent on focussing more on the concept of European added value. One much debated budget instrument is policy conditionality.

The next long-term budget (MFF) may contain further criteria for EU funding, so called conditionality. Specifically, the discussions concern economic recommendations and the respect for the rule of law. In order to present some reflections regarding policy conditionality in the MFF post-2020, the author analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the existing mechanisms. As he points out, while there have always been certain levels of conditionality within EU re-distributive policies, the mechanisms were expanded within the MFF 2014-2020.