Study: German EU payments fall but remain highest in bloc

Anabelle Colaco
30 Nov 2025, 10:18 GMT+10

Germany’s faltering economy has not stopped it from remaining the European Union’s most significant net contributor, even as the amount it pays into the bloc continues to fall
Germany paid 13.1 billion euros (US$15.09 billion) more into the EU budget than it received in 2024, keeping it well ahead of other member states
France was the second-largest net payer last year at 4.8 billion euros, followed by Italy at 1.6 billion euros, according to the IW analysis

BERLIN, Germany: Germany's faltering economy has not stopped it from remaining the European Union's most significant net contributor, even as the amount it pays into the bloc continues to fall, a study by the German Economic Institute (IW) showed.

Germany paid 13.1 billion euros (US$15.09 billion) more into the EU budget than it received in 2024, keeping it well ahead of other member states. But that figure has slid sharply from 19.7 billion euros in 2022 and 17.4 billion euros in 2023 as the country's economic downturn weighs on contributions.

France was the second-largest net payer last year at 4.8 billion euros, followed by Italy at 1.6 billion euros, according to the IW analysis.

Greece topped the list of net recipients with 3.5 billion euros, ahead of Poland with 2.9 billion euros and Romania with 2.7 billion euros.

On a per-capita basis, Germany again led the bloc, with citizens contributing a net 157 euros to the EU budget. Ireland followed at 130 euros per person.

"The EU budget is a mirror of the economic power relations in Europe," said IW expert Samina Sultan. She noted that high-growth economies such as Poland are receiving less support, while "Germany and France are the problem children of the EU."

Germany is expected to grow more slowly than the EU average again this year, suggesting its net contribution will continue to decline, Sultan added.

The European Commission published detailed data on net payers and net recipients until 2020 but stopped releasing such statistics for political reasons, the institute said.