Britain came under pressure to yield more of its annual rebate from European Union coffers to aid poor new east European members as foreign ministers began talks on the bloc's long-term budget today.
Ministers from both eastern and western Europe said the British EU presidency would have to improve its 2007-13 budget package, which featured a big cut in development funds for the ex-Communist newcomers, before a decisive summit next week.
"The new proposal includes no review of the British rebate, and less effort for new members. That's not the spirit of Europe," French Finance Minister Thierry Breton said in a radio interview in Paris.
Polish Europe Minister Jaroslaw Pietras said he expected London to improve its offer before the December 15th-16th summit.
"Criticism of the British proposal is wide-ranging. Not only Poland has such a negative view," Pietras told PAP news agency.
Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan said the newcomers would have to bargain for a better deal over the next week.
"We have to negotiate to improve it, but as a basis for negotiations, we take it," he told reporters.
The European Commission reaffirmed its view that the proposal was not acceptable in its current form, and that a deal had to be acceptable not only to all member states but also to the European Parliament.
"The Commission underlined the need for the British presidency to come up with a solution because a solution is both necessary and urgent," the Commission's spokesman told a news conference.