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Brussels estimates that the Brexit “divorce bill” is higher than the UK’s forecast | Brexit


British Brexit According to Brussels estimates, the “divorce cost” is 47.5 billion euros (40.8 billion pounds), which is higher than the government’s forecast.

The first payment is 6.8 billion euros and will be paid at the end of this year.

The final bill is buried in the EU’s 2020 consolidated annual accounts, which is much higher than the earlier estimates of the British fiscal regulator.

2018 Office of Budget Responsibility Set the Brexit Act at 41.4 billion euros (37.1 billion pounds)During the Brexit negotiations, British government officials stated that the final bill will be around 3.5-39 billion pounds.

The bill covers the UK’s share of debts and liabilities among EU member states in 47 years, such as paying EU officials for infrastructure projects, pensions and sickness allowances.

This is one of the three major issues that the British government reached with the EU in the Brexit agreement signed by Boris Johnson in December 2019. Previously, the Prime Minister won an overwhelming majority with his promise to “complete Brexit.” The other main elements of the agreement are civil rights and the Northern Ireland agreement that the United Kingdom is now working on. Seek change.

The EU auditors have not yet signed the 2020 accounts, but the Brexit Act is considered unlikely to change.

Tony Murphy, a member of the Irish Court of Auditors, told RTÉ News, the national broadcaster that first reported the figure, that the figure of 47.5 billion euros can be regarded as a definite figure.

Murphy said in a statement to the broadcaster: “Although the 2020 EU consolidated accounts published by the Commission are still provisional, the court has completed the audit of these accounts.” “For all intents and purposes, the Commission announced The numbers are determined.”

Although the EU accounts may not change, a British government source said that this work is an accounting estimate, not an official figure. Certain liabilities may never materialize, for example, if the recipient of the EU loan repays all payments instead of defaulting.

The largest share of the Brexit Act is 36 billion euros, used to pay for EU infrastructure and social projects agreed to by the former British government. Most of the rest is made up of EU debt, including pension and sickness insurance for retired EU officials, former EU commissioners and members of the European Parliament.

The government should also obtain a portion of EU assets, including a 1.8 billion euro fine imposed on the company. As the EU’s competition regulator, the Commission regularly fines companies that violate the regulations, and the UK has the right to get a share of any money collected during its membership.

A spokesman for the British government said: “This is only an accounting estimate and does not reflect the exact amount the UK is expected to pay to the EU this year.

“We will announce details of payments to and from the EU based on financial settlements in the EU Financial Statement later this year.”

Although the UK has the option of prepayment, the final bill is expected to be settled many years later.

Boris Johnson once said The EU “can whistle” If they expect Britain to pay for the divorce, but later accept that Britain must pay off its debts in order to negotiate a trade agreement.



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