By Bruno Waterfield and Daisy Ayliffe - 7th December 2005
France will receive €89 billion from Europe’s coffers and the UK just €46bn between 2007 and 2013 using figures circulated by the British EU presidency.
EU diplomats report that figures used by the UK presidency show wide variations in national benefits from EU membership.
Luxembourg scoops the most – netting over €4000 per head under British proposals for the EU financing period for 2007 to 2013.
Belgians pocket €3794 per capita and the Dutch just €810, while Germans, who pay the most to the EU, take back only €940 per head over the seven years.
Britain benefits the least from EU spending with just €776 per capita in receipts forecast for UK citizens in the seven year period.
The figures emerged as Paris led attacks on a British EU presidency budget blueprint at a meeting of Europe’s foreign ministers.
French demand extra €6bn in UK cash
The UK must increase an €8 bn EU budget sweetener to €14bn, the country's Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy demanded on Wednesday.
“The €8bn off the rebate falls far short of what is required,” he said.
London offered to pay an extra €1.1bn a year to Europe's poorest countries in a bid to heal deep EU divisions over the level of spending, expenditure priorities and Britain's annual rebate
UK Foreign Minister Jack Straw dismissed Douste-Blazy’s use of British money as a bargaining chip.
“The French are always happy to negotiate with Britain’s money,” he joked.
Straw insists that the British EU presidency is determined to find agreement on the issue of the UK’s annual €5bn rebate.
“The area for agreement is narrow. We are seeking a deal that is fair to the UK and the EU as a whole,” he said.
“The UK government recognises its responsibility… We are prepared to pay our fair share but no more than a fair share.”
UK figures
Straw is highlighting British sums that show that even under reduced EU expenditure France will net over double the UK’s receipts from Brussels.
“Under UK proposals in the seven year period, France will receive €89 bn. The UK will receive €46bn,” he claimed.
EU diplomats report that the UK presidency is using figures that show that British citizens will see just €776 per capita over 2007 to 2013.
In the same period, claims the UK presidency, French citoyens will scoop up €1483 in EU benefits.
“While France per head does very well, the UK has the lowest receipts per head of any member state,” said Straw.
The figures also show that under both European Commission and UK accounting methods French contributions are at proportionate levels to Britain’s.
Brussels counting puts French dues at 0.33 per cent of Gross National Income and English contributions at 0.29 per cent.
UK figures put French dues at 0.4 per cent of Gross National Income and English contributions at 0.41 per cent.
Review clause
France is also up in arms over British plans to hold a whole-scale review of EU finances two years into the new budget at the end of 2008.
Paris fears the review clause will be an excuse to open the door to cuts in farm subsidies – agriculture spending frozen in 2002.
“France will accept a review of all spending on condition that it does not single out any area… and that any decisions that come as a result shall not be implemented before 2013,” said Douste-Blazy.
EU diplomats close to the talks note that neither UK leader Tony Blair or French President Jacques Chirac are likely to be ruling the roost in four years time.
“They should not rule anything in and equally they should not rule anything out,” said one.
But European Budget Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite is keen to heave the debate away from ritual bi-lateral rows between France and Britain.
“Negotiations are between 25 member states, not just the UK and France,” she told reporters.
“Most questions have not been about the rebate but have been about fair sharing and distribution of the costs of enlargement.”
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