Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Britain’s diplomatic footprint in the EU cost €139.7 million in 2011

The net operating cost of the United Kingdoms 26 embassies in the European Union was €139.7 million in the year to April 2011.  There are 1,610 staff employed in them and a further 190 in other outlying offices. The combined value of the Estate they occupy is €620 million, equivalent to 28% of the value of the entire British global diplomatic real estate.

The details are as follows:

Member State

Net Cost €

Staff

UK-EU
Trade Balance
€ Million

Austria

6,588,852

55

-1,384

Belgium

8,154,094

65

-3,574

Bulgaria

3,557,057

45

49

Cyprus

4,396,278

65

633

Czech Republic

4,474,088

55

-2,740

Denmark

5,329,929

45

-3,470

Estonia

2,252,934

30

97

Finland

4,633,783

45

-973

France

10,404,191

180

352

Germany

18,265,923

195

-17,626

Greece

7,447,903

75

567

Hungary

5,046,866

55

-2,266

Ireland

2,677,721

45

4,605

Italy

1,598,241

110

-4,064

Latvia

1,753,997

30

-173

Lithuania

1,753,997

35

-342

Luxembourg

1,622,872

10

-730

Malta

2,718,592

25

293

The Netherlands

5,568,743

60

-5,726

Poland

7,788,793

75

-42

Portugal

4,596,941

50

-402

Romania

4,018,078

55

-1,122

Slovakia

2,034,140

25

-116

Slovenia

1,882,916

20

-1,265

Spain

14,079,798

110

-1,491

Sweden

5,323,435

50

-4,226

€139,746,957

1,610

-€48,492

 

The EU accounts for 54% of global exports and 51% of global imports but Britain ran an adverse trade balance in 2011 with 20 of the 27 member states of the EU.  The combined value of her positive trade balance with Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Greece and Malta was €1,911 million.  But her positive trade balance with Ireland was a whopping €4,605 million.

Ireland accounts for 11% of Britain’s exports to the EU and Ireland supplies  6% of Britain’s import from the EU. 

The entire British global diplomatic enterprise consists of almost 270 offices and a staff of 10,500 persons located outside the UK. A further 3,000 are employed in the UK.

The estate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was estimated to be worth €2.2 billion on 30 September 2010, of which property worth €1.93 billion is located outside the UK.  The IT infrastructure alone represents an investment of €38 million while the embassy network is home to antiques and silver worth an estimated €10 million.

The largest investment in embassy offices is in France €43 million, Hong Kong €30 million, New Delhi €17 million, Rome €19.75 million, Dublin €16 million and Moscow €13 million. The most valuable official residences are located in Paris €33 million, Rome €25 million, Athens €13.5 million and Washington DC €8 million. The British Ambassador’s residence in Dublin is valued at €5 million.

The British have closed their embassy in Mali, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Madagascar, East Timor and Paraguay. The have closed consulates in 18 locations around the world. Seven embassies and six consulates have been opened since 1997.

The budget for Ireland’s overseas missions this year is €53 million, figure comparable to the cost of ‘free’ television licences purchased by the Department of Social Protection.  Ireland’s diplomatic force employs a total of 555 persons.

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