On the 17 April 2000, the Council adopted a common position decision concerning the draft decision on the Communities own resources which it transmitted to the European Parliament for its opinion.
The main elements of the common position deal with the following issues:
- the reduction of the maximum rate of call of the VAT resources from 1% to 0,75% in 2002 and 2003 and to 0,5% from 2004 onwards with a view to continuing the process of making greater allowance for each Member State's ability to contribute to the EU budget;
- increase the percentage of the so-called "traditional own resources" from 10% to 25% of amounts collected with effect from 2001;
- change in financing of the UK correction of the budgetary imbalances in favour of the UK amended to allow Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden to set a reduction in their financing share to 25% of their normal contribution;
- general review of the operation of the own resources systems, including the effects of enlargement to be submitted on 01.01.2006 at the latest.
It should be noted that in the letter which accompanies the new draft decision, the Council calls on the European Parliament to relinquish the dialogue to the extent that this would have little chance of succeeding and which would risk in delaying the time-table for the ratification of this decision for the Member States (the decision must be taken by 01.01.2002).�