Hands Off Our Rebate Warns Kirkhope
Strasbourg, 19th October 2010
Timothy has told EU Budgets Commissioner Lewandowski to go back to the drawing board as he prepares to present options for new EU taxes and to open a debate on the future of the British rebate.
Timothy said:
"EU taxes would fundamentally shift the relationship between Brussels and London. Governments of sovereign nations raise taxes and they must ultimately have a final say over how much they will hand over to other organisations, such as the EU.
"Commissioner Lewandowski clearly is not getting the message on the British rebate: keep your hands off. Our rebate is there for a reason and it is fully justified. We cannot see the EU chip off another section of the rebate like it did in 2005 when Tony Blair gave away £7 billion for nothing in return.
"This paper is intended to kick-start a debate about the EU budget but it starts from the wrong point. The focus is continually on new ways of raising money but what about starting from the premise that the EU can better spend the money that it already takes? The new seven-year budget should be an opportunity for root-and-branch reform of how the EU sets budgetary programmes and priorities.
"The commission needs to go back to the drawing board and bring forward proposals that appreciate people's reluctance to give more money and more power to Brussels."
