The budget of the European Union: how is your money spent? [antikvár]

The budget of the European Union is the act which each year authorises the funding of all Community activities and operations. It allocates resources in a manner which reflects current priorities and policies. Its development in the course of time reflects the way in which the building of Europe has changed. In 1970 the Community budget amounted to ECU 3.6 billion (ECU 19 per inhabitant per year) and consisted almost entirely of agricultural spending linked to the common agricultural policy. Today, the Union budget stands at EUR 93 billion (EUR 250 per inhabitant per year) and covers the entire range of EU policies: agricultural spending, regional development aid, expenditure on research, education and training, international aid and cooperation with the rest of the world, etc. Yet, total spending under the Union budget (payment appropriations) is equivalent to only 1.1 % of the combined gross national products (GNP) of the 15 Member States. Furthermore, only 5 % of the total budget is spent on preparing Community policies, drawing up and implementing the Union budget, monitoring the expenditure approved by Parliament and the Council, enforcing Community law, and administering the Union (which, of course, has to work in 11 different languages).