advertentie
advertentieThe EU budget has successfully addressed key priorities and responded to crises in 2024, as highlighted in the Commissions Annual Management and Performance Report (AMPR).
In 2024, the EU budget facilitated green and digital transitions, bolstered EU defense capabilities, supported Ukraine, and assisted with the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. These accomplishments were significantly aided by the historic mid-term revision of the long-term EU budget in February 2024, which for the first time adjusted expenditure ceilings.
Additionally, the Commissions report on the first year of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) highlights the EU budgets value in fostering growth and innovation.
The EU budget demonstrates strong results in challenging times
The AMPR reveals that last year, EU funds played a vital role:
- Approximately 32% of the combined EU budget and NextGenerationEU was dedicated to climate action, 7.6% to biodiversity, 9.2% to the digital transition, and around 19% supported gender equality.
- Cohesion Policy continued to drive regional development and research across the Union, particularly following the mid-term review.
- Moreover, in 2024, the Common Agricultural Policy supported farmers and competitiveness, stabilizing farming incomes and creating around 200,000 jobs, particularly benefiting young farmers.
- In 2024 alone, the Ukraine Facility provided €4.77 billion in non-repayable support and €13.1 billion in loans to Ukraine. NextGenerationEU continued to foster economic recovery and reforms across all Member States, with the Commission disbursing a total of €85.3 billion, including €29.4 billion in loans based on the achievement of key milestones and targets under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
All these achievements, along with further information on EU financial programs, are detailed in the Programme Performance Statements.
However, the current long-term budget is nearing its limits as outlined in the Commissions Communication on the new multiannual financial framework. The EU budget must adapt to a changing world, and the Commission will propose a new framework post-2027 in the upcoming weeks.
The EU budget is transparent and well protected
The Commission prioritizes the optimal use of taxpayers money, safeguarding it from errors, fraud, or breaches of the rule of law principles.
To this end, the Commission employs robust measures, including:
- appropriate and proportionate measures proposed by the Commission via the Conditionality Regulation in cases of rule of law violations in a Member State that threaten EU financial interests;
- a solid internal control framework designed to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of operations, reliability of reporting, and asset safeguarding;
- a reinforced Financial Regulation since September 2024, ensuring readiness to respond to crises and better protecting a transparent EU budget.
The Commission also releases its annual STEP report
Alongside the AMPR, the European Commission has published its first annual report for the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). In its inaugural year, it mobilized over €10 billion in EU public funding for digital technologies, deep-tech innovation, and clean technologies.
Specifically, €4.6 billion was invested through five funds managed by the Commission (Horizon Europe, the Innovation Fund, the European Defence Fund, the Digital Europe Programme, and EU4Health), while €5.9 billion was reallocated by EU Member States and regions from their EU Cohesion Policy Funds. These funds are increasing and will support SMEs, larger companies, research entities, and start-ups.
Building on this momentum, the Commission proposed in April 2025 to extend STEP to defense technologies. Negotiations are set to begin in the European Parliament and Council.
Background
The Annual Management and Performance Report serves as an accountability and communication tool, through which the Commission takes overall political responsibility for the management of the EU budget, showcasing the results achieved through EU budget management.
This report is part of the Integrated Financial and Accountability Reporting package, which includes the annual follow-up report on the discharge, the Commissions internal audit report from 2024, the cash flow forecast, and the consolidated annual accounts. It contributes to the 2024 discharge procedure.
The European Commission collaborates closely with Member States and other partners to ensure the EU budget is spent efficiently, free from fraud and irregularities, and aligned with EU policy goals for tangible benefits to citizens.
For More Information
Annual Management and Performance Reports
2024 Annual Report on the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)