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EU plot to grab Britain's rebate
European leaders lined up behind a plot to ambush Tony Blair yesterday, threatening to blame him for the spiralling European Union crisis unless Britain "saves Europe" by surrendering its multi-billion pound annual rebate.One after the other, European premiers fell in line with a Franco-German plan to portray the rebate as the sticking point that is blocking a "miracle" last-minute agreement on the size and scope of the bloc's plans for the next five years. As ministers and officials huddled for crisis meetings in Luxembourg and Strasbourg, they converged around a single line of attack: if Britain would only give ground on the rebate the EU would be able to defy expectations and pull off an early deal on its budget for the years 2007-2013. That, it was argued, would convince people that the European project is in robust health, and not derailed by the votes against the constitution in France and Holland. Gordon Brown, who was in Luxembourg for a meeting of finance ministers, insisted that Britain's position was "unchanged", the rebate was fully justified. Threatening to block the entire EU budget, Mr Brown said: "We are prepared to use the veto if necessary to protect the British position." However, Britain faces unprecedented pressure to give away some of the rebate, under which Brussels hands back two thirds of our net contribution to the EU coffers - a deal worth £3.7 billion to the Treasury in 2003. The rebate is opposed by all 24 other members. The EU plot emerged as figures published by the Treasury showed that Britain's gross contributions to the European Union could rise to £14.6 billion by 2007-8, from £12.1 billion this year. Snip, Reg required Posted by: phil_b 2005-06-08 |
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