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France steps up EU pressure on UK
French President Jacques Chirac has called on Britain to "make an effort" over the EU budget, amid a escalating row about the UK's rebate. Speaking after talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Mr Chirac called for "greater fairness" in EU contributions. Earlier UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was not willing to renegotiate the rebate unless there was a "fundamental review" of EU spending. Mr Schroeder and Mr Chirac met in Paris ahead of a crucial EU summit next week. The BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris says the war of words has set the scene for a deeply uncomfortable EU summit in Brussels. Britain will be isolated on the rebate, with the 24 other member states arguing that it should be scrapped, our correspondent adds. The row erupted on Thursday, when the French president urged Britain to make a "gesture of solidarity" on the £3bn ($5bn; 4.5bn euros) it gets back from the EU budget each year. In response Mr Blair said London would not give up the money because it was still contributing more than France. On Friday, Mr Blair added that the rebate could only be discussed as part of more general discussions on EU finance. "If you have a fundamental review of how Europe spends its money, then everything is open to debate," he told reporters. During his news conference with Mr Schroeder, Mr Chirac said: "Our British friends must be aware of how things are changing and therefore of the need for greater fairness in the burden carried by each (member)." But he added that a 2002 agreement that preserves large subsidies for French farmers should be implemented. "I am not willing to compromise" on this issue, he said. Next week's EU summit is also overshadowed by the rejection of the European constitution by French and Dutch voters in recent referendums. In Paris, both Mr Schroeder and Mr Chirac reiterated calls for other members states to go ahead with their own ratification procedures. Britain, however, has suspended its own plans for a referendum. Ten member states have already ratified the document. It cannot come into force until all 25 EU countries have approved it. Posted by: Steve 2005-06-10 |
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