Let me see.

Germany with 82.16 million (1999) citizens pays 7.7 billion Euro's

UK with 58.68 million (1999) pays 2.8 Billion after a hefty rebate (over 2 billion Euro's)

Than the super nation of Holland with a population of 16.30 million (2005; was less in 1999) pays 2.0 Billion thus outperforming :

France with 62.4 (2004) pays 1.9 billion Euro's


So we pay 3 times more per head than UK citizens, 4 times more per head than the French, and still 30 % more per head then the good Germans.

That is because our politicians don't know how to negociate at European level. Margret Thatcher negociated a huge rebate and still was nothing more than trouble. We are the most behaved boy of the class (stability pact) and as thanks get milked for all we are worth.

So yes we are indeed outpaying the loud mouths.

And this is my final posting on this. If anybody wants to continue this off-topic (sailing ?) discussion than lets do it privately.

Wouter