Sweden may have to pay several billion SEK more in EU fees. It shows the proposal that underlies next week's tough negotiations in Brussels.

The proposal, if adopted, will lead to a substantial increase in Sweden's current fee. According to data for SVT News, the increase lands at SEK 14 billion. In 2019, Sweden's EU fee was approximately SEK 40.5 billion.

The proposal presented by the European Council on Friday imposes an EU fee for all countries of 1.074 percent of GNI (gross domestic product). Sweden, and three other countries, which pay more to the EU in fees than they receive back, think the level should be at 1 percent.

"This proposal is not acceptable, it is far too high," EU Minister Hans Dahlgren (S) told SVT News.

Requires to have a discount left

Exactly how much more expensive the EU tax eventually becomes for Sweden is still hard to say. Everything about Sweden is allowed to keep its current discounts of around SEK 6 billion per year.

The Council wants the discounts to disappear, but gradually. Next year, Sweden will receive a lump sum. But the sum is not specified, so you do not know how big the fee will be in full.

- The proposal states that the discount should be reduced and we do not like that. We will demand that we keep them. This is a negotiation.

"Not very optimistic"

The proposal from the Council is close to the compromise proposal of 1.07% of GNP that Finland, in its role as the EU Presidency, presented a few months ago. That proposal, in turn, is below the EU Commission's proposal of 1.11 percent of GNI.

The Belgian former prime minister, Charles Michel, has traveled around the country and kingdom to try to reach a compromise on how to fill the budget hole that Britain leaves behind. This is about SEK 127 billion per year.

Next week tough negotiations in Brussels begin. That the countries should agree then is considered by many as small. Sweden's EU minister agrees.

- I know that the countries are far apart, so I'm not very optimistic. It is reasonable that Sweden, which is a rich country, pays more than one poor. But when the UK leaves the EU I think we should fix our mouths for the lunch bag.