Discussions on the multiannual budget must be continued within the European Union because there is still a great deal of disagreement about the level of expenditure. Not only do government leaders disagree, but the European Commission and the European Parliament also have different wishes and conditions.
At the EU summit in Brussels last week, it turned out that a further three countries are opposed to the current plan for a larger Brussels budget. Sweden, Austria and Denmark joined the earlier objections of the Netherlands and Germany.
If it is up to the European Commission, despite the British leaving, the coming multi-year budget will be increased to EUR 1300 billion & #8211; an increase of around € 300 billion. That amounts to 1.11 percent of the combined European income. The European Parliament is even thinking of 1.3 percent.
However, the five countries want no more than 1 percent to be spent on the EU budget. The EU cannot ignore this & #8216; coalition of five net payers & #8217 ;, said Austrian minister Eduard Müller. & #8220; If the British leave the EU, we finance 40 percent of the European household. That situation must be taken into account & #8221 ;, says Müller.
The EU leaders have instructed the Finnish Presidency to find a new compromise for the next EU summit in December, according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The Netherlands maintains a spending limit of 1 percent of the economies of the EU countries. That is roughly the same as the current budget of around € 1000 billion over seven years.