European Commission
President Jean Claude Juncker on Tuesday criticised the way UK
Prime Minister David Cameron explained to the British public a
hefty payment to Brussels.
The UK has been asked to pony up an additional 2.1 billion
euros in EU contributions after Britain's GDP figures were
revised upward to reflect proceeds from crime.
"This is not a British problem but that of the European
Union as a whole, and it needs a common answer," Juncker said.
"The impact on some States was greater than that on the
UK".
Cameron last week told parliament the UK will not pay two
billion euros by December 1 demanded by the European Commission
following updated GDP figures.
"We will be challenging this in every way possible," he
said.
Earlier in the year, countries including Italy changed
their accounting methods in calculating GDP per new EU measures
that said proceeds from criminal activity must be included.
In Britain, September GDP figures doubled to 5% from
earlier calculations of 2.5% GDP growth, explaining its high
bill.
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