France cannot accept the latest EU budget proposal from Britain without a deep reform of the British budget rebate, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said today.
"We hope that the British authorities will understand the need for a complete review of its rebate mechanism. Without a change on this point, France will not give its agreement" to the budget proposal, Mr Douste-Blazy told the French Senate, in comments reported on the upper house of parliament's website.
Britain earlier proposed only a slight increase in overall spending and gave no more ground on its widely criticised rebate from EU coffers.
