EU budget will not be affected by UK referendum

The European Commission proposed on Thursday (30 June) a 2017 draft budget of €134.9 billion in actual payments with a focus on tackling migration, security issues and unemployment.

'In these difficult times the EU budget is not a luxury but a necessity. It helps as a buffer against shocks," the commission's vice-president responsible for budgetary issues, Kristalina Georgieva, said, adding the overall increase in payments compared to last year is 0.9 percent of the EU gross national in...