The Netherlands will not vote in favour of a proposal to increase the European Union’s budget next year by almost 7%, finance minister Jan Kees de Jager is quoted as saying by news agency ANP.

‘That is far too high. It is unthinkable,’ De Jager said.
MPs also criticised the proposal, announced by the EU Commission on Wednesday morning. Brussels says the 6.8% increase is ‘desperately needed’ to revive growth, the BBC reported.
‘All layers of government [in the Netherlands] have less to spend. It is notable that the EU wants more money, even though it too is a layer of government,’ Ronald Plasterk, the Labour party’s financial spokesman said.
Discipline
Christian Democrat MP Elly Blanksma said Europe also needed a little budgetary discipline.
The Dutch government collapsed at the weekend after failing to agree to measures necessary to cut the budget deficit to under 3%, in line with eurozone rules.
Last year, the Commission proposed increasing the EU budget 4.9% but this was eventually cut to 1.9% following protests from member states, including the Netherlands.
EU Commission proposes a 6.8% budget increase for 2013