The UK makes its contributions to the EC budget twice monthly. The Government’s latest forecast of UK net contributions to the EC budget over the period 2007-08 to 2010-11 were published in table C9 (page 238) of the 2009 Budget (HC 407).
The Treasury does not make estimates of the administration costs involved in making this payment.
The 2008 European Community Finances White Paper, using estimates from 2007-08, estimated the gross contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 to be £15.55 billion. A current estimate for gross contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 will be published in the forthcoming 2009 European Community Finances White Paper. The 2007 pre-Budget report estimated the net contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 to be £5.7 billion, and net payments to EC institutions to be £4.8 billion. The 2009 Budget estimated the net contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 to be £4.1 billion, and net payments to EC institutions to be £3.3 billion.
Payments are not made directly to EU funds. These are covered in payments made to the EC budget. It should be noted that the pound’s exchange rate is only one of a range of factors affecting the level of UK contributions to the EC budget.