The presentation of the EU budget has been simplified to make it more transparent and understandable for citizens into 4 main thematic headings and an administrative component which covers the running costs for all of the EU institutions, staff costs and pensions etc.

The budget headings are as follows :

1a : Competitiveness for growth and employment, covers research and innovation, education and training, EU networks, internal market policies.

1b : Cohesion for growth and employment, designed to enhance convergence of the least developed Member States and regions, to complement the EU strategy for sustainable development outside the less prosperous regions and to support inter regional cooperation.

2 : Preservation and management of natural resources includes the common agricultural and fisheries policies, rural development and environmental measures, in particular Natura 2000.

3 : Citizenship, freedom, security and justice covers a number of new policy areas such as justice and home affairs, border protection, immigration and asylum policy as well as more traditional policies of public health and consumer protection, culture, youth, information and dialogue with citizens.

4 : The European Union as a global partner includes all external action, including pre-accession instruments for future EU members, development assistance and reserves for emergency aid and loan guarantees.
http://www.epha.org/a/1764