Hungary would raise EU budget contribution after Brexit

MTI – Econews

Hungary is prepared to increase its contribution to the European Union to 1.2% of gross national income (GNI) to help fill the gap left after the United Kingdom leaves, János Lázár, the head of the Prime Ministerʼs Office, said in Brussels on Monday.

"Weʼre convinced that you canʼt have more Europe for less money. If there are more tasks, itʼs absolutely certain that will cost more," Lázár said, as cited by Hungarian state news agency MTI.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said at a conference in Brussels on Monday that member states will need to contribute more than 1% of the EUʼs GDP to the common budget because of the "several billion euros" shortfall Brexit will leave.

Member statesʼ contributions to the EU budget now stand at about 1% of GNI. Hungaryʼs contribution to the budget was 0.89% of GNI in 2015, EU data show.