The EU budget

The budget of the European Union (EU) is framed by the Union’s unique system of governance “without government,” founded on the principle of representation of interests (Lenaerts, 1991, pp. 12–14), and organised around a decision-making triangle made up of the European Parliament (representing EU citizens), of the Council of Ministers (representing member states’ governments) and of the European Commission (as a promoter of the Union’s general interest).