Press Release: EU Budget 2008 – Stable funding in unstable times

In a year marked by exceptional economic turbulence, the 2008 EU budget continued to provide stable funding without increasing the financial burden on Member States. The 2008 financial report presented by the Commission on 22 September 2009 showed how a record 40% of the 2008 budget's €116.5 billion was invested in measures linked directly to jobs, growth and competitiveness like the €6 billion committed for new research projects (€500m more than in 2007). Farm payments continued to fall taking 37% of funds, marginally less than 2007. In terms of EU GNI the 2008 budget was steady, rising only slightly to 0.94% (0.93% of EU GNI in 2007).