Press Release: Commission sets out Strategic Priorities and lays foundations for Budget Proposals for 2002

On 21.2.02, the Commission adopted its first Annual Policy Strategy. This new instrument - a key component of the Commission's reform process - links political priorities with resource allocation for the first time. The first Annual Policy Strategy Decision establishes six priorities for 2002, which will help shape the Commission's Work Programme for 2002. In so doing, the Commission also endorsed orientations for next year's Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB) to be presented later in Spring 2001. For Agriculture, Structural Funds and Pre-accession, it is envisaged to budget the total amount available under the Berlin ceilings. For internal and external policies, multiannual programmes and constraints mean that the increase over the previous year is small and reserves are maintained for unforeseen events. For administrative expenditure, the margin of manoeuvre is proportionally largest mainly because the needs of other institutions are not yet known.