HC Deb 29 November 1982 vol 33 cc71-3W
Mr. Wigley

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the most recent convenient year (a) the total payments to the European Economic Community budget and (b) the total receipts from the European Economic Community budget for each of the member countries of the European Economic Community.

Mr. Ridley

Table 1 following shows contributions paid by member States to the 1981 Community Budget.

Information on total receipts by each member State is not available. But the Commission provides estimates of net contributions to and receipts from the "allocated" budget. The "allocated" budget is that part of the total Budget which the Commission considers it can "allocate" between member States. The Commission estimates for 1981 are given in table 2. The figures exclude the refunds paid to the United Kingdom under the Budget agreement of 30 May 1980; for 1981 net refunds were set at 1410 mecu.

Gross Contributions by member State to the 1981 European Community Budget
Table 1
Million ecus
Agricultural Levies Custom Duties VAT/FinancialContribution Total
Belgium 206.1 408.4 376.1 990.6
Denmark 29.4 135.2 189.8 354.4
Germany 306.8 1,943.8 2,806.5 5,057.1
Greece 18.4 84.6 151.4 254.4
France 257.6 977.3 2,256.1 3,491.0
Ireland 8.9 81.9 68.2 159.0
Italy 310.1 633.0 1,582.9 2,526.0
Luxembourg 0.1 4.5 22.6 27.2
Netherlands 214.5 572.8 499.8 1,287.1
United Kingdom 395.6 1,550.9 1,930.8 3,877.3
Total 1,747.5 6,392.4 9,884.2 18,024.1

* Converted at the average rate of 1981 of £1 = 1.80796 ecu.

Including adjustments in respect of 1979 and 1980 VAT base outturns.

Greece paid a financial contribution based on her share of Community GDP.

£ million*
Agricultural Levies Custom Duties VAT/FinancialContribution Total
Belgium 114.0 225.9 208.0 547.9
Denmark 16.3 74.8 105.0 196.1
Germany 169.7 1,075.1 1,552.3 2,797.1
Greece 10.2 46.8 83.7 140.7
France 142.5 540.6 1,247.9 1,931.0
Ireland 4.9 45.3 37.7 87.9
Italy 171.5 350.1 875.5 1,397.1
Luxembourg 0.1 2.5 12.5 15.1
Netherlands 118.6 316.8 276.4 711.8
United Kingdom 218.8 857.8 1,067.9 2,144.6
Total 966.6 3,535.7 5,467.0 9,969.3

* Converted at the average rate of 1981 of £1 = 1.80796 ecu.

Including adjustments in respect of 1979 and 1980 VAT base outturns.

Greece paid a financial contribution based on her share of Community GDP.

Table 2
Net contributions to (-) and receipts from (+) the 'allocated budget
Million ecus*
1979 1980 1981
Denmark 380 327 285
Germany -1,430 -1,526 -1,750
France -78 431 597
Netherlands 288 454 191
Belgium/Luxembourg 610 439 568
Million ecus*
1979 1980 1981
United Kingdom -849 -1,512 -1,422
Italy 534 737 778
Ireland 545 650 586
Greece 167

Source: EC Commission.

* Average values of the European currency unit (ecu) in the three years were:

1979 1 ecu=£0.646=2.511 DM=5.829 French francs=1,138,498 lire.

1980 l ecu=£0.598=2.524 DM=5.869 French francs=1,189,205 lire.

1981 1 ecu=£0.553=2.514 DM=6.040 French francs=1,263,180 lire.