Contents

Overview of EU policy: Funding instruments

Journal:
Manual of European Environmental Policy
ISSN:
1467-0445
E-ISSN:
1740-3529
Publisher:
Earthscan, London, UK
DOI:
10.3763/meep.2010.0167
Author:
Institute for European Environmental Policy
Information last updated:
December 2011
Publication date:
December 2011

The European Union (EU) has traditionally had funds for pursuing some of its policies. The lion's share of these funds is currently spent on just two of the EU policies: the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Cohesion Policy, whereas only a relatively minor fund (LIFE+) is dedicated to environmental objectives. However, environmental spending also takes place through a number of other funds including the Structural and Cohesion Funds used to pursue objectives for economic, social and territorial cohesion under EU's Cohesion Policy as well as the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development that forms the Second Pillar of the CAP. Therefore, much of the EU's spending has implications, both positive and negative, on the environment and the EU's funding instruments are an important element of the supporting instruments for EU environmental policy. This chapter sets out the EU's main funding instruments that have environmental implications, whereas this overview section sets out some background on the EU budget as well as important ongoing debates in relation to the budget which have implications to the environment.

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