A better process for a better budget

This policy brief provides a practical solution to facilitate reform of the EU budget decision-making process, overcome the detachment of EU spending from political priorities and increase focus on EU public goods. As the negotiations for the next financial framework are expected to start in less than two years, the window of opportunity for reform is closing rapidly. Additional pressure arises from the need to design a substitute, by Spring 2010, for the Lisbon Strategy that better aligns EU policy goals and spending. For the authors now is the time for reform.