歐洲議會在歐盟裡是最具民主代表性的機構，但統合初期，歐洲議會只扮演被諮詢角色。直至1970年的盧森堡條約（Treaty of Luxembourg）與1975年的布魯塞爾條約（Treaty of Brussels），才賦予歐洲議會對歐洲共同體或歐盟預算擁有部分決定權，以及對整個預算有駁回權。1979年首任民選歐洲議員挾著民主正當性，利用預算條文某些定義模糊不清，試圖擴大其預算影響力，兩度駁回歐洲共同體或歐盟預算草案，造成預算危機。1988年共同體或歐盟提出多年財政架構化解預算危機，直至2013年建構5次多年財政架構。歐洲議會所擁有的預算權自1975年之後34間未曾變更過多。年財政架構雖然提高歐洲議會預算影響力，但也縮減歐洲議會的某些法定預算權，加深歐洲議會民主赤字。

The European parliament is the most democratic and representative institute in the European Union. In the early years of the European Integration, the EP just played a consultative role. Not until the Treaty of Luxembourg and Treaty of Brussels were signed in 1970 and 1975, was the EP given the last word on what is known as non-compulsory expenditure and the power to reject the budget as a whole. Based on democracy and legitimacy, the first elected EP made efforts to extend its budgetary influence by taking advantage of the ambiguity of some budgetary provisions of the treaties. The rejections of the budget by the EP in 80’s brought about the budgetary crisis of the European Union. In 1988, the first Multi-annual Financial Framework was introduced by the Inter-Institutional Agreement to overcome budgetary crisis in the EU. Since then, five Multi-annual Financial Frameworks have come into practice. The power of purse of the EP given by the treaties has still remained unchanged for the past four decades. The five Multiannual Financial Frameworks did enhance the budgetary influence of the EP. But they also reduced the legal budgetary power of the EP and deepened its democratic deficit in the process of the European Integration.