Publication

This commentary discusses the €2.1 billion surcharge to EU budget contributions which the Union placed on the UK in October 2014. More specifically, the author examines 1) the mechanism behind the surcharge; 2) whether the recalculation was based on the 2010 European system of accounts (ESA) method; 3) whether the surcharge is unfair and disproportionate; and 4) the lessons the EU and its member states can learn from the events surrounding the surcharge to the UK.