THE EU BUDGET IN PERSPECTIVE

The EU budget represents about 1% of the member states’ total GDP. For 2013 the EU budget amounts to € 132.8 bn.

• Cohesion €42.5bn Funding for countries and regions that are economically lagging behind other member states. 35.5 % of 2013 budget
• Competitiveness €12.1bn Supports research and development, promotes sustainable energy and tries to improve training. 8.9% of 2013 budget
• Citizenship, freedom, security and justice €1.4bn Includes fighting terrorism, dealing with refugees, encouraging film production and helping students study in other member states. 1.1% of 2013 budget
• Common Agricultural Policy €43.6bn Aid for farmers around the EU - helps maintain rural communities. 33.1% of 2013 budget
• Rural development and fisheries €14.4bn Helps to diversify economy in rural areas, support fishing communities and promote green energy. 10.1% of 2013 budget
• Administration €8.2bn Funds EU institutions. Pays pensions to former EU staff and provides schools for the children of EU staff. 6.3% of 2013 budget
• EU as a global player €7.6bn Includes providing development aid to non-EU countries and assisting countries that want to join. 4.7% of 2013 budget

 In 2012 Germany, France, Italy, UK and Spain contributed nearly half of the budget. In the case of the UK, it benefited from a rebate that returns about half of its net contribution to the budget. 

For the sake of comparison, the total 2013 budget of the U.S. federal government (requested expenditures) amounts to $ 3.8 trillion.