- en veritabel chikane fra EU's økonomisk mest udviklede lande, de såkaldte rige lande, der har gennemtvunget en relativ reduktion af Fællesskabets budget i en situation, hvor EU er udvidet med 10 lande, hvis økonomiske udviklingsniveau er under Fællesskabets gennemsnit, og hvor der forberedes udvidelse med yderligere to lande.
- the blackmail perpetrated by the economically most highly developed EU Member States, the so-called ‘wealthy’ countries, which have imposed a relative reduction of the Community budget; this at a time when the EU has grown to include a further ten countries with an average level of economic development that is below the Community average and when preparations are under way for two more countries to join.