The European Added Value of EU Spending: Can the EU Help its Member States to Save Money? Exploratory Study

Bassford, Matthew and Brune, Sophie-Charlotte and Gilbert, Jame and Helnemann, Friedrich and Misch, Florian and Moessinger, Marc-Daniel and Osterloh, Steffen and Weiss, Stefani (2013) The European Added Value of EU Spending: Can the EU Help its Member States to Save Money? Exploratory Study. UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Critical public debt levels have forced EU member states to pursue fiscal consolidation. Yet, there is a flip side to the austerity policies being administered to overcome the sovereign debt crisis. Cut backs in social transfers and public service delivery erode the social welfare architecture of the European economic model. Growing social insecurity, in turn, challenges European integration. Ever declining popular approval rates for the EU speak for themselves. In addition, the scaling back of public investments seems not to be an option either. This only further strangles what is left as potential for growth.

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