Introduction

Abstract

The central thrust of the European project is both economic and political: to promote the integration of markets, the integration of states and the integration of peoples. The public finances of the European Union (EU) have played a central, albeit rarely acknowledged, role in supporting market consolidation, constitution-building and in the internal politics of the Union. The purpose of this volume is to provide a comprehensive but nontechnical analysis of the evolution of EU finances and the political processes that have generated the range of financial instruments at the disposal of the Union. Most writing on the EU budget is done by those working on budgetary matters in the institutions, largely because the complexities of the financial regulation and the annual budgetary cycle tend to act as a barrier to engagement. The finances of the Union do, however, repay scrutiny because an analysis of the politics of budgetary matters provides powerful insights into the tensions between market creation and political integration, and between the EU and the national levels of public policy-making. It highlights the possibilities and limits of integration as the Union’s political process grapples with issues of distribution and redistribution, for so long confined to politics within states.