The European Parliament yesterday approved a €122.9 billion EU "recovery" budget for 2010, a six per cent increase over this year, aimed at helping the bloc emerge from recession.
"If we want Europeans to feel more secure in 2010, we have to implement this budget cleverly," parliamentary rapporteur Laszlo Surjan said ahead of the vote.
"This is why we are enhancing energy security, supporting the creation of jobs, introducing the microfinance facility. We support research and development and life-long learning. We want to help the milk sector and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change," he added.
Spending on the bloc's common agriculture policy, rural development and the environment continues to account for the biggest slice of the EU's budgetary pie in 2010, amounting to over €50 billion.
Spending on agriculture handouts and other programmes will remain stable, however, accounting for 40 per cent of the EU's total resources.
Speaking in the European Parliament after the vote, Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget Algirdas Semeta called it a "recovery budget".
"It's about getting ready for better times, maintaining jobs, stimulating growth," he said. "Despite the difficult economic situation, the 2010 Budget guarantees the financial resources to keep EU programmes on track and focused on areas linked to recovery.
"The fastest-growing areas are the ones most geared to an upturn, like innovation, research or the financing of energy links, where spending is increasing faster than the budget itself."
Some €64 billion is earmarked for measures linked to innovation, education and innovation, with research funding up by nearly 12 per cent.
The provision for energy and transport spending is up by over 10 per cent.
The biggest increase in EU spending in 2010 will be for projects to fight crime, terrorism and manage migration flows, with this area growing by 16.2 per cent over this year to almost one billion euros.
The European Union budget comes from the member states but excludes spending made individually by the 27 EU nations.
The 2010 Budget amounts to 1.04 per cent of the EU's gross national income (GNI).
EU member governments and the Parliament agreed on the budget last month but it required the formal approval of lawmakers.