EU parliament chief: Britain should pay at least $70 billion

Asked in an interview with Germany’s Funke newspaper group published Monday how much Britain should pay, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani was quoted as saying: “In my opinion, it should be at least 60 billion euros.” (Photo: Antonio Tajani/Facebook)

BERLIN — The European Parliament’s president says he believes Britain should pay at least 60 billion euros ($70 billion) as it leaves the European Union, to meet its financial commitments.

The divorce bill is the biggest stumbling block in negotiations on the U.K.’s withdrawal from the bloc, due in March 2019. The EU is demanding that Britain turn promises to pay its financial dues into concrete commitments.

Asked in an interview with Germany’s Funke newspaper group published Monday how much Britain should pay, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani was quoted as saying: “In my opinion, it should be at least 60 billion euros.”

He added: “If the EU accepted less, European citizens would have to make up the difference. But why should the Germans, Italians, Spanish or Dutch pay the Britons’ bill?”