Press Release: EU budget 2010 targets recovery

On 29 April, 2009, the Commission adopted a €139bn preliminary draft budget for 2010. Economic recovery is at the heart of next year’s spending and the proposal channels the biggest share of funds (45%) into growth and employment measures – a 3.2% rise on 2009 – to help restore competitiveness across the Union. Funds for major programmes linked to research and energy will increase by more than 12% and cash for cohesion policy will grow too, with the EU-12 set to receive 52% of cohesion and Structural Funds. All headings in the budget will see an increase, reaching a total of €138.6bn in commitments (1.18% of GNI) and €122.3bn in payments (1.04% of GNI).