Germany has insisted that a further 30 billion euros (38.6 billion dollars) be shaved from a 1.09-trillion-euro proposal for the European Union's budget over 2014-20, it was reported today. German Chancellor Angela Merkel made the request in pre-summit talks with EU President Herman Van Rompuy, who earlier this week suggested cutting 80 billion euros from the proposal by the European Commission, diplomats told dpa Thursday. Separately, French diplomats said Merkel had a bilateral meeting with French President Francois Holland and expressed understanding for Paris's demands to safeguard EU spending on agricultural subsidies.
