Observations

Yes, this is a relatively small expenditure by the EU in comparison to the billions it spends each year, but this latest disbursement is another in a long line.

Importantly it is now another payment which the British public will no longer have to subsidise.

There is a general misconception surrounding how much the UK used to pay to the EU – that it was a fixed amount relative to a formula based on economic performance, agricultural sector and other factors. The problem with this is that, well, it’s only part of the story, it’s not the whole truth.

The amount of treasure the UK (and other countries) handed over to Brussels was indeed calculated by a formula – but there were ALSO a series of add-ons, some of which might be known and predictable but were considered outside the annual payment, and others that were simply not known and planned for.

Add-ons could be projects outside the membership fee that were obligatory, such as Foreign Aid – usually given the progressive title ‘development aid’, although much of it did not go on or lead to any ‘development’ but found its way to dictatorships without any audit trail or accountability.

The funding of Moldova is an example of an additional commitment that the EU would regularly take on in support of its own agenda – this time in its craving for territorial gain to expand EU membership. It’s rather like the US buying Alaska from Russia for $7.2m in 1867 but not admitting it as the 49th State until 1959.

It is these sorts of additional expenses – many of which have little obvious geo-political or strategic interest for the UK – that we are now no longer committed to. They previously went unnoticed and unremarked. But the tab was still picked up by British taxpayers. In the scheme of things they may not have moved the UK’s deficit dial a great deal – but rolled-up together they sure did. And now we are shot of them. That’s what you call a Brexit Bonus and the type of commitment we should never go back to.

We researched and wrote the above piece while working on an important piece of research we will be publishing tomorrow. Watch this space!

Facts4EU.Org needs you today

We are a 'not for profit' team (we make a loss) and any donation goes towards the actual work, not plush London offices, lunch or taxi expenses, or other luxuries of some organisations.

We badly need more of our thousands of readers to donate. Could this be you, today? Maybe you've been thinking about it, but just haven't got around to doing it? If so, let us reassure you. It's quick and easy and we use two highly secure payment providers. And we do NOT ask you for further donations if you donate once - we just hope that you keep supporting us. Your donation stays anonymous unless you tell us otherwise.

Please don't assume that other people will keep us going - we don't receive enough to survive and we need your help today. Could you help us?

Most of our readers are well-informed and appreciate our fact-based articles, presented in a way you won't see anywhere else. If you value reports like the one above, please help our work with a donation. We have far more to do in researching, publishing, campaigning and lobbying Parliament than we have in terms of the financial resources to fulfil these tasks. We badly need funding to continue - we rely 100% on public donations from readers like you.

If you believe in a fully-free, independent, and sovereign United Kingdom, please make a donation now. It’s quick, secure, and confidential, and you can use one of the links below or you can use our Donations page here. You will receive a personal, friendly ‘thank you’ from a member of our team within 24 hours. Thank you for reading this.