The focus of this paper is on the EU budget and the changes in European policies. The basic objective of the paper is to assess how the political priorities of the European Union are reflected in the EU budget, mainly on the expenditure side. Questions about the purpose of the budget and the principles that govern the use of public finances in the Union are linked to wider questions about the nature of the EU and its evolution. The paper contributes to the theoretical debates on European policy and public finances, but also provides policy insights on the relationship between the EU policy process and the budget.
