There will be no postponement of the contributions that member states must pay into the EU’s coffers, the European Commission insisted yesterday.
All members, including Malta, are expected to make the payments by December 1.
This follows the news that Malta and another seven member states will have to raise their contribution to the EU’s budget as a result of a revision of Gross National Income (GNI) figures.
Malta’s contribution averages an annual €60 million but this year it went up by €13.1 million.
This is because its gross national income is higher than previously estimated – the wealthier the country, the more it pays to the EU.
The statement from the Commission appears to contradict one issued by the Office of the Prime Minister last week saying EU leaders had agreed to suspend the revision until finance ministers of the affected countries could obtain clarifications.
When contacted yesterday, a spokeswoman for the Commission denied that there was any postponement on the contributions, saying all was proceeding according to plan under the EU Treaties.
“These budget figures were agreed with member states a long time ago and there is no postponement. Member states are expected to make their payments by December 1.”
She said all member states, including Malta, had been given the new figures during a meeting on October 17, well before last week’s summit of EU leaders.
“None of the member states, including Malta, had raised any objections to the new figures,” she added.
The issue, raised vociferously by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had objected to what he called a new €2.1 billion contribution bill, was addressed again yesterday by Budget Commissioner Janez Dominik.
He said that the process of calculating much member states should contribute had been agreed many years ago and had not changed. He expressed surprise at the declaration made by Mr Cameron.
“There was absolutely nothing new this year when compared to the previous years. And there was never an issue over the methodology of how much member states should contribute. There is an agreed mechanism and we follow it.”
When questioned over Malta’s position during last week’s summit, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that unlike other countries, Malta was not surprised with the additional €13 million as it had already been alerted by its permanent representation in Brussels.
He said that the additional outlay of funds would not have a negative impact on the island’s budget as a provision had been made.