EU: The Budget Battle Begins

After weeks of speculation, the first draft of the EU budget is finally here. On May 2, the European Commission presented its proposal for the bloc's next multi-annual budget, which will be in effect from 2021 to 2027. The proposal has the potential to create a political storm within the union because it touches on highly sensitive policy areas such as agricultural subsidies and structural funds. At a time when the European Union is already dealing with internal fragmentation, the new budget could be yet another source of friction among member states....