The Netherlands is to receive a one-off €2.7bn rebate from the European Union following change in the way contributions are calculated.
In addition, the Netherlands’ annual payment into the EU coffers will go down by a structural €900m a year, a finance ministry spokesman confirmed to news agency ANP.
The new way of calculating payments came into effect last month and finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem briefed parliament on the changes at the beginning of October. The financial impact has already been incorporated into the government’s 2017 spending plans.
Germany too is benefiting from the change and will get back €3bn, ANP said. France, however, has to pay an extra one-off of €600m while Italy has to pay €900m.
The Dutch rebate follows two successive extra payments made in 2014 and 2015 following a recalculation of GDP. EU contributions are partly based on each country’s individual GDP.
