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In 2015, the European Commission launched an initiative entitled 'The EU budget focused on results'. It is aimed at changing spending culture and making results a horizontal priority for the EU budget. The initiative is based on a popular contemporary budgeting method known as 'performance budgeting'. This paper presents the method and its application to the EU budget. It explains why, although not easy to implement, performance budgeting is seen as an attractive way to increase value for money and ...

Scrutiny of the EU budget is carried out in each EU institution and by the Member States. Detailed scrutiny is carried out, at different levels, by the Court of Auditors and by Parliament. Each year Parliament scrutinises the implementation of the budget with a view to granting discharge to the Commission, the other EU institutions and the EU agencies.

Budget expenditure is approved jointly by the Council and Parliament. The annual EU budget must respect the budgetary ceilings agreed under the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for different programmes and policies, such as those on cohesion, agriculture and external relations. Flexibility instruments ensure that the EU can react in the event of unexpected needs. Use of financial instruments creates a leverage effect as regards EU spending.

The 2003 reform and the 2009 Health Check decoupled most direct aid and transferred it to the new single payment scheme (SPS) or the single area payment scheme for new Member States. A new regulation, Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013, defines the direct payments system with effect from 1 January 2015.

For many years the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was financed from a single fund, the EAGGF (European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund), which on 1 January 2007 was replaced by the EAGF and the EAFRD.

Since the 1970 and 1975 Treaties, Parliament’s role in the budgetary process has gradually been enhanced. The Lisbon Treaty gave Parliament an equal say with the Council in the entire EU budget.

The EU budget is financed mainly (99%) from own resources. Annual revenue must completely cover annual expenditure. Budget revenue is determined by the Council after consultation of the European Parliament. The decision on the system of own resources needs to be ratified by the Member States.

The Monthly Highlights publication provides an overview, at a glance, of the on-going work of the policy departments, including a selection of the latest and forthcoming publications, and a list of future events.

This Rolling Check-list presents a comprehensive overview of the European Court of Auditors' (ECA) Special Reports, concentrating on the ones relevant for the 2013 EU Discharge procedure. The document seeks to link the topics discussed by the Special Reports to the relevant debates and positions within the European Parliament, including notably the working documents of the Budgetary Control Committee, to the work of the various specialised parliamentary committees, and to individual Members' questions ...

The "Two-Pack" and "Six-Pack" mark the latest stage of the legislative framework for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The European Commission evaluation report is the first step in building a deeper and fairer Economic and Monetary Union. Articles and studies have highlighted the need to further address those issues which result in a misalignment of economic governance with its original goals. Democratic accountability, Member States' compliance with country specific recommendations, coordination ...