Under the European Council’s plan the bloc’s next multi-annual financial framework, Berlin would see its contribution go up immeasurably. But the German Chancellor was said to be enraged after calculations showed France would actually end up paying less into Brussels’ cash coffers. Ahead of a crunch summit of European leaders, she said they “will at least make progress” but ruled out signing up to the current plans.
Internal negotiating documents, seen by Express.co.uk, show Germany would be expected to make net contributions of around £18billion (€22billion).
This is an increase of almost £8billion (€10billion) a year on what Berlin currently sends to Brussels.
Whereas France would actually be better off by almost £1.8billion (€2.2billion) compared to the last budget with a total net payment to the EU of just £11billion (€13billion).
The figures, which are part of Mr Michel’s proposal for an EU budget of 1.074 percent of Gross National Income, are highly favourable to Paris because of its huge farming subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy.
The document shows France and Belgium are the EU’s only net contributor who will benefit from the new package – Austria, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden would all pay more.
Brussels insiders have claimed Mrs Merkel is privately seething at prospect of having to reject the deal.
One source told Express.co.uk: “She has been put in an unacceptable position by Charles Michel.
“Germans hate the idea that there’s an image they don’t want to pay for the European Union.
“Michel is making Merkel pay for Macron, that’s why this plan will quickly come off the table.”
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EU leaders are expected to continue negotiating through the night despite there being little hope of reaching a deal on the 2021-2027 budget.
They face a challenge of plugging a £63billion (€75billion) black hole in their finances left by Britain and increasing the bloc’s spending power for new and existing projects.