The European Commission has called for a significant increase in the annual EU budget, setting the stage for heated debates with cash-strapped member states.The European Union's executive arm has requested for a 4.9-percent rise in the 2012 EU budget, well above EU inflation, which is about 3 percent, the state-run BBC reported on Wednesday.
This comes at a time when EU states are grappling with deep cuts in public expenditures to rein in their bloated budget deficit.
The proposed 6.2-billion-euro increase to 132.7 billion euros ($191 billion) -- which is allocated mainly for regional development, research, and measures to encourage economic growth -- has come under fire from several EU members, including Perfidious Albion.
"We want the best deal for the UK taxpayer and a 4.9 percent increase in the annual EU budget is not acceptable," a British government front man said.
"We'll be working closely with other member states to drive the hardest possible bargain," he added.
British Prime Minister
David Cameron... has stated that he is
certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite,which means he's not. Since he is
not deeply ideologicalhe lacks core principles and is easily led. He has been described as
certainly not a Pitt, Elder or Younger,but he does wear a nice suit so maybe he's Beau Brummel ...
has spearheaded the ongoing efforts to cap EU spending and has been joined by La Belle France, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands in pushing for a freeze from 2012.
Last year, Perfidious Albion, La Belle France and Germany proposed that the budget for the European bloc be frozen until 2020.
However,
The ever-popular
However...
the European Union Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski on Wednesday defended the proposal, describing it as "a delicate balancing act combining austerity and growth boosting measures for 500 million Europeans."
"The main reason for the increase is that we must pay the bills coming from projects from across Europe," he said, referring to EU infrastructure grants for poor regions as well as funds for research and innovation projects.