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STRASBOURG, Dec 18, 2008 (AFP) - Lawmakers at the European Parliament adopted on Thursday the bloc's 2009 budget which foresees 116 billion euros (169 billion dollars) in spending.
The budget, adopted by an overwhelming majority, represents an increase of 0.3 percent in spending from this year and 0.89 percent of the European Union's gross national income.
"With this budget we are able to finance the basic needs of the European Union," said German conservative lawmaker Reimer Boege, who heads the parliament's budget committee.
Spending on the bloc's common agriculture policy, rural development and the environment will account for the biggest slice of the EU's budget next year, amounting to 52.6 billion euros.
Expenditure on agriculture handouts and other programmes will remain stable, swallowing up 40 percent of the EU's cash.
The budget includes a new so-called food facility which will see 1.0 billion euros allocated over three years to help farmers in poor countries increase their output following the spike in food prices over the last year.
EU member governments and the parliament had already agreed on the budget last month, but it still needed the formal approval of lawmakers.
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