EU-budget 2003: Nederland grootste netto-betaler, Ierland grootste netto-ontvanger (en)

Ireland last year received the most EU funding per person, while the Netherlands paid in the most per capita, according to a report unveiled yesterday by the European Commission.

Four countries - Ireland, Portugal, Greece and Spain - were revealed to receive more money from the EU pot than they pay in.

Each Irish citizen received just under 400 euro last year from EU funds.

At the other end of the scale, Dutch citizens each paid in 120 euro to the EU coffers.

Other net contributors were Sweden (106 euro per citizen), Germany (93 euro), Belgium (75 euro) and the UK (46.5 euro). The French pay 32 euro each.

Presenting the figures, budgetary commissioner Michaele Schreyer said that, whether a member state was a net contributor or a net recipient of EU funds, everyone gains in the end from EU membership.

"For net contributors also, the economic and political benefits from belonging to the internal market, the currency union and the European peace framework far outweigh the net payments to the EU budget", she said.

"EU membership is the best conceivable investment", she concluded.

The figures also revealed that total EU spending in 2003 amounted to 90.6 billion euro.