Abstract
‘Agriculture, regions, budget: conflicts over who gets what’ argues that because the single market enhances productivity in the economy, there is benefit for most people. But there will be some who lose from the opening of markets to new competition, and these may demand compensation for agreeing to participate in the new arrangements. Such compensation usually has implications for the Union budget. The size of the budget does constrain what the Union can do, for example in promoting cohesion and balanced development across its member states. Further reforms will be needed if the Union is to remain a relevant actor, both internally and in the wider world.
