"The Lack of Transferability Explained: Why Criticism Over the EU Budget's Magnitude Might Be Too One-Sided"
In a recent study titled "Of course, European!", a large majority of respondents in Germany expressed their desire for the German government to act cooperatively in Brussels in the future, with 68% supporting such a move. This finding is part of a broader trend that shows a consistently positive attitude among German citizens towards their country's EU membership, with a majority (58.5%) seeing the benefits outweighing the drawbacks.
The study also revealed that respondents most support increased joint spending in the areas of competitiveness, security and defense, and research and innovation. This aligns with the European Commission's proposed budget for the years 2028-34, which includes a potential increase of up to 1.26% of the EU-wide gross national income (GNI).
The Commission proposes new EU own resources for financing, including taxes on emissions, tobacco, e-waste, and turnover of large companies, which could potentially flow €58 billion into the budget annually. However, funds for farmers, cohesion policy, and climate and environmental measures could potentially decrease in the proposed budget, indicating a realignment of priorities towards research, decarbonization of industry, and defense.
Interestingly, the study results indicate that the belief of Germany being the "paymaster of Europe" exists on an abstract level, but higher spending is supported when linked to specific goals. This suggests that German citizens are willing to support increased EU spending when they perceive it to be beneficial for their country.
The survey results also showed that security and defense (55.3%) and a competitive economy/industry (46.1%) are among the three most mentioned answers as European political priorities for the new federal government. This finding is reflected in the German government's coalition agreement, which states its ambition to take on a strong leadership role in the EU, a move that is viewed positively by 65.3% of respondents.
However, the German government has stated that an overall increase in the EU budget is not negotiable. This stance could potentially pose a challenge in convincing citizens that Germany benefits much more from EU membership than it contributes financially.
In conclusion, the "Of course, European!" study provides valuable insights into the public opinion of German citizens regarding their country's EU membership and financial contributions. The study shows that while respondents recognize the financial burden of contributions to the EU budget, they also perceive significant benefits, such as economic stability, trade advantages, and political influence. The study also indicates that a majority of respondents support increased spending in specific areas, such as defense, internal security, research, education, innovations, and the economy, as long as these investments are perceived to be beneficial for Germany.
- The study indicates that while a perception of Germany being the "paymaster of Europe" exists, a majority of respondents are willing to support increased EU spending when they perceive it to be beneficial for their country's finance business.
- The German government's support for increased spending in specific areas like defense, internal security, research, education, innovations, and the economy aligns with the general-news trend that shows a consistently positive attitude among German citizens towards these areas.
