EU Budget Talks Suspended

Agreement seems unlikely as they take more time to "study proposals"

European Union leaders have suspended talks on the bloc's seven-year budget in order to give the 27 leaders time to study new proposals.

The leaders of France and Germany have already expressed doubts whether an agreement can be reached.

The European Commission had originally proposed a 5% increase in spending, but a group of countries, including Britain, argued that any rise at a time of austerity would be unacceptable.