Chart of the Day: Net Payers and Receivers of EU Money
This chart is in German, but most of the terms should be clear. The top half of the chart are the net payers of existing fiscal transfers within the EU, Germany being the largest, followed by Italy, France, and the Netherlands. The biggest net beneficiaries are on the bottom half, with Greece in first place, followed by Poland, and Spain.
Note that these sums from 2008 are in total euros and not on a per capita basis within the EU and not the euro zone.
(Hat tip Daniel)
Source: FAZ
Which is logical; Greece only joined in 1981. Athens wasn’t built in a day.
Off the top of my head (caveat: I’ve not kept track closely since I left Europe 3 years ago), France’s “net” contribution seems high on this chart. I wonder whether these numbers are net of CAP transfers (still 40%+ of the total EU budget with France as the main beneficiary). And it gets hairy to look only at Euro-member net contributions to the EU’s budget: do you take into account payments for the UK rebate or not? FAZ is saying their source is the European Commission without providing further detail nor a link.
I noticed that as well, particularly the UK issue. I would say this is right directionally i.e. it gives you a feel for the order of magnitude of pre-existing fiscal transfers (although not on a per capita basis). It’s this chart which has the Germans balking at more fiscal transfers. I think the Netherlands is a high net contributor per capita as well. I’m not sure about the Italy number.
A few comments about this chart:
– it SHOULD be drawn up on a per capita basis. Absolute numbers say very little
– it doesn’t take into account non monetary benefits the EU creates. How about the increased intra-eurozone export Germany enjoys? How about the benefit of hosting EU institutions? (Brussels, Luxemburg, France, Germany)
As always, lies, damn lies and then there’s statistics.