The EU budget is suffering not simply from a technical crisis, but rather from a deep crisis of trust on the part of EU citizens. Public support for the mainstream political class in general and the EU institutions in particular is rapidly waning. Restoring this trust is the single-most important task in countering rising populism and the forces intent on dismantling the European Union. This paper argues that the EU budget offers one of the most visible tools available to express the principles of the European Union in concrete action; its improvement is therefore essential for building trust. It aims to offer food for thought to promote reflection on the future of the budget, in view of the challenges facing the EU.
Jorge Núñez Ferrer is a CEPS Associate Senior Research Fellow. This paper was originally prepared as a reflection paper circulated at the 5th annual Tatra Summit, 27-29 October 2016, which is organised annually by GLOBSEC, an independent, non-partisan NGO based in Slovakia.
Series: CEPS Policy Insight No. 2016-02 No. of pp: 9
