Under the Nice Treaty, the European Parliament had the last word on the so-called non-compulsory expenditure which in the 2009 EU budget accounted for around two thirds of the appropriations, whereas the Council had the final say on so-called compulsory expenditure (essentially agricultural expenditure).
Nice’i lepingu kohaselt oli Euroopa Parlamendil lõplik otsustusõigus nn mittekohustuslike kulude osas, mis moodustasid ELi 2009. aasta eelarves umbes kaks kolmandikku assigneeringutest, ning nõukogul nn kohustuslike kulude (peamiselt põllumajanduskulud) osas.