Austrian Chancellor Kurz Threatens to Veto Increased EU Post-Brexit Budget

The budget changes follow after London and Brussels managed to sign off on the Brexit deal and avoid a further delay, withdrawing the United Kingdom from the bloc after 47 years.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has stated that his country would veto the European Union's long-term budget plan for post-Brexit Europe, stressing it should be lowered.

"If this proposal is introduced, we will not support it, and neither will the other EU net contributors, I think", the conservative politician told Austrian radio Oe1. "The 1.11% is still not acceptable to us. So there would be a veto on our part here".

At the same time, he said that Vienna is waiting to see new proposals it would be able to accept.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets with Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, in Brussels, Belgium January 12, 2020

© REUTERS / Kenzo Tribouillard/Pool

European Council President Charles Michel has called for a special EU leaders summit on 20 February in Brussels to hold talks on the next shared budget for 2021 to 2027 after the UK - one of the main EU contributors - has officially withdrawn from the bloc.

Before the negotiations, he is set to meet with 16 heads of European states and governments for separate talks, including a meeting with Kurz on Wednesday.