General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2004.

Abstract

General presentation of 2004 budget, as adopted after Parliament’s second reading on 18 December 2003, was adopted for thefifteen Member States of the Union at that date. In order to adapt this budget for the accession of ten newMember States on 1 May 2004, an amending budget has been adopted on 11 March 2004. It applies fromthe date of accession.Amendingbudgetno.1/2004strictlyfollowstheapproachagreedbythebudgetaryauthorityattheconcili-ation meeting of 24 November 2003 between the European Parliament and the Council, which foresaw inparticular:— for commitment appropriations, the respect of the decision of the Council 2nd reading in Heading 1(Agriculture and Rural Development), including Amending Letter no 2/2004;— the amounts for Heading 2 (Structural Operations) and 8 (Compensation) of the PDB, in line with thedecisions taken at the Copenhagen European Council;— theamountsaddedforenlargementinHeading3(InternalPolicies)ontherelevantlinesbytheEuropeanParliament at its first reading; and finally— for all the other Headings the budget as adopted in December which already includes the amounts forthe enlarged Union.