Press Release: The Commission’s budgetary proposals for 2001

The preliminary draft budget for 2001 adopted on 10 May 2000 respects the revised financial perspective proposed by the Commission. It amounts globally to €96.924 billion in commitment appropriations and € 93.874 billion in payment appropriations. The PDB for 2001 supports the priorities identified by the Commission: - deeper involvement in Foreign Affairs and commitment to enlargement, support for rural development in the Union, creation of a knowledge-based society, and improvement of the living conditions of the Union's citizens. The Commission proposals have been drawn up for the first time according to an 'Activity-Based Budgeting' approach. It gives a transparent view of how resources, both human and financial, are allocated for the different activities of the European Union.