Ukraine’s accession to the EU will bring Kiev approximately €186 billion over seven years, making many member states net contributors for the first time.
This is evident from internal calculations of the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU, obtained by journalists from the Financial Times.
The British daily emphasizes that this is the first such financial model created in Brussels in connection with the possible accession to the European Union of nine new countries: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The EU budget after enlargement. Everyone will have to pay more and receive less
The financial balance of including all nine countries in the existing EU budget, called the multiannual financial framework, would amount to €256.8 billion. According to the assumptions, the current budget would increase by 21%. up to 1.47 trillion euros.
“While full expansion could take a decade or more and require major reforms to existing fiscal arrangements, the estimated scale of the changes needed would significantly tip the bloc’s financial balance,” the FT notes.
The EU Council Secretariat believes that “all Member States will have to contribute more and receive less from the EU budget; many Member States that are currently net recipients will become net contributors.”
The entry of nine new members would force a number of far-reaching changes, including: a significant increase in net contributions to the EU budget from richer countries such as Germany, France and the Netherlands. The document suggests that “transitional periods and safeguard measures” would be necessary.
Billions of euros for Ukraine
Ukraine would be eligible to receive €96.5 billion from the EU’s common agricultural policy over seven years. According to estimates by EU officials, this change would reduce agricultural subsidies for existing member states by around 20%.
Ukraine would also be entitled to €61 billion from EU cohesion funds, which aim to improve infrastructure in poorer member states. At the same time, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta would lose the right to use these funds.
EU leaders will meet in Spain on Friday for the first in-depth talks on EU expansion and how it will change the bloc.
When asked about the Financial Times’ findings, the EU Council spokesman said he did not comment on “leaks”.
Source: Do Rzeczy

Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.