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| David Cameron to meet Mario Monti amid earthquake fund row | David Cameron to meet Mario Monti amid earthquake fund row |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| David Cameron will fly to Rome to meet his Italian counterpart, Mario Monti, after the latter attacked moves by the UK and others to block EU funds for Italy's earthquake victims. | David Cameron will fly to Rome to meet his Italian counterpart, Mario Monti, after the latter attacked moves by the UK and others to block EU funds for Italy's earthquake victims. |
| Italy is seeking €670m (£537m) from the EU for the Emilia-Romagna region, where a double earthquake in May killed 26 people and severely damaged factories, homes and historic buildings. | Italy is seeking €670m (£537m) from the EU for the Emilia-Romagna region, where a double earthquake in May killed 26 people and severely damaged factories, homes and historic buildings. |
| On Sunday Monti said a veto on the funding, "which could arise from the position taken by certain member states, would be completely unacceptable for Italy, and a huge blow to the principle of solidarity which is the foundation of the European Union". | On Sunday Monti said a veto on the funding, "which could arise from the position taken by certain member states, would be completely unacceptable for Italy, and a huge blow to the principle of solidarity which is the foundation of the European Union". |
| An EU source on Monday confirmed the UK had been among the objectors, while Italian press reports also named Denmark, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands. | An EU source on Monday confirmed the UK had been among the objectors, while Italian press reports also named Denmark, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands. |
| Cameron will meet Monti after meeting the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, in The Hague in the morning. | Cameron will meet Monti after meeting the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, in The Hague in the morning. |
| "Italy is the only G8 country the prime minister has not visited and he is taking Monti up on an invitation made when the Italian prime minister visited the UK in January," said a Downing Street source. "It's a chance to discuss the EU budget, the European single market and Syria could come up, but the focus is on building and strengthening bilateral relations." | "Italy is the only G8 country the prime minister has not visited and he is taking Monti up on an invitation made when the Italian prime minister visited the UK in January," said a Downing Street source. "It's a chance to discuss the EU budget, the European single market and Syria could come up, but the focus is on building and strengthening bilateral relations." |
| A spokeswoman for Monti said the two leaders would discuss a planned 22-23 November meeting to be held in Brussels to formulate the EU's seven year budget plan for 2014-21. | A spokeswoman for Monti said the two leaders would discuss a planned 22-23 November meeting to be held in Brussels to formulate the EU's seven year budget plan for 2014-21. |
| Cameron has described EU plans to increase spending, while member governments implement austerity programmes, as "completely ludicrous". | Cameron has described EU plans to increase spending, while member governments implement austerity programmes, as "completely ludicrous". |
| But the UK's block on millions of euros designed to rebuild Emilia Romagna – which could be included in the EU's 2013 budget – will be high on Monti's agenda. | But the UK's block on millions of euros designed to rebuild Emilia Romagna – which could be included in the EU's 2013 budget – will be high on Monti's agenda. |
| The EU's conciliation committee, which combines members of the EU council, European commission and parliament, met on Friday and will convene on Tuesday "in order to give all parties involved more time to work towards a compromise" on the earthquake funding, said the EU budget commissioner, Janusz Lewandowski. | The EU's conciliation committee, which combines members of the EU council, European commission and parliament, met on Friday and will convene on Tuesday "in order to give all parties involved more time to work towards a compromise" on the earthquake funding, said the EU budget commissioner, Janusz Lewandowski. |
| The EU's 2013 budget, from which the €670 could be taken, needs to be signed off by midnight on Tuesday. | The EU's 2013 budget, from which the €670 could be taken, needs to be signed off by midnight on Tuesday. |
| Monti's statement on Sunday claimed the commission president, José Manuel Barroso, had given guarantees he would fight for the funding, as had the European parliament president, Martin Schulz. The statement added that Monti was continuing to speak to member governments. | Monti's statement on Sunday claimed the commission president, José Manuel Barroso, had given guarantees he would fight for the funding, as had the European parliament president, Martin Schulz. The statement added that Monti was continuing to speak to member governments. |
| "On Friday, everyone agreed that Emilia-Romagna qualifies to receive €670m, the disagreement is over where that money should come from," said an EU spokesman. The EU budget in 2012 was €129.1bn, which the EU spokesman said amounted to about 90 cents a day for every EU citizen, "less than a cup of coffee". | "On Friday, everyone agreed that Emilia-Romagna qualifies to receive €670m, the disagreement is over where that money should come from," said an EU spokesman. The EU budget in 2012 was €129.1bn, which the EU spokesman said amounted to about 90 cents a day for every EU citizen, "less than a cup of coffee". |
| In 2011 the UK invested €4.7bn more in the EU than it got back in funding. Italy's EU deficit was slightly higher, at €4.75bn. | In 2011 the UK invested €4.7bn more in the EU than it got back in funding. Italy's EU deficit was slightly higher, at €4.75bn. |
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