The cabinet expects to pay a smaller net contribution to Brussels between 2014 and 2020, foreign minister Frans Timmermans told parliament on Wednesday. 

The country currently pays some 0.41% of gross domestic product into the EU’s coffers, but this will go down to 0.39% from 2014, Timmermans said.

This means the Dutch contribution will total €48.1bn over the next seven years, compared with €49.9bn over the current budgetary period. Of this, some €14bn comes back to the Netherlands in subsidies and grants.

Earlier this month, European leaders reached agreement on the EU’s spending plans for the next seven years but that deal still has to be approved by the European parliament.
 
MPs are debating the Dutch contribution to Brussels on Wednesday afternoon.