The €60 billion Brexit bill: how to disentangle Britain from the EU budget

Britain’s EU exit bill is possibly the single biggest obstacle to a smooth Brexit. The European Commission calculates that the UK has €60 billion of charges to settle. Britain is confident it will face down what it considers to be spurious demands. Both sides are entering the Brexit money negotiations with unrealistic expectations. Ultimately, this political collision could bring the Brexit talks to a sudden and premature end and poison future EU-UK trade relations.

• Primary Source

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

ESO: Background information: The UK's contribution to the EU Budget http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-uks-contribution-to-the-eu-budget-eu-looks-to-agree-formula-with-uk-before-issuing-final-brexit-tab/

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 06.02.17: Brexit, a Game of Deal or No Deal http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/67909

The Conversation, 22.02.17: Fact check: will the Brexit divorce bill cost the UK €60 billion? http://theconversation.com/fact-check-will-the-brexit-divorce-bill-cost-the-uk-60-billion-72902

The Guardian, 21.02.17: UK should expect a very hefty bill for Brexit, says Jean-Claude Juncker https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/21/britian-should-expect-hefty-bill-for-brexit-jean-claude-juncker-european-commission-salty

Blog: Open Europe, 22.02.17: Is the relationship between Juncker and Berlin cracking? http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/is-the-relationship-between-juncker-and-berlin-cracking/

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 27.02.17: Britain’s got bills – but will it pay? Settling the UK’s EU budget obligations http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/02/28/britains-got-bills-but-will-it-pay-settling-the-uks-eu-budget-obligations/

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