Survey: Benefits and perceptions of Europe for Germany

Focus on Europe
Results of a representative survey commissioned by
the Association of German Banks ahead of the 20th
German Banking Congress 2014
April 2014

I.
Stronger appreciation of the benefits of EU membership for
Germany
European solidarity with the debt-laden eurozone countries in
the form of loans and financial aid has not led in Germany to a
negatively connoted “paymaster” image again. On the contrary,
since 2010 the impression that Germany benefits from EU
membership has grown steadily among citizens (from 23 to
35%), whereas the proportion of those who fear mostly
disadvantages for the country has declined noticeably (from 29
to 19%). In addition, 87% believe that the EU is either
“important” (54%) or “very important” (33%) for Germany’s
economic development.
2

Quelle: Bankenverband; jüngste Befragung März 2014; Angaben in Prozent.
“For Germany, membership of the European Union
brings ...”
3
35
44
19
2 mostly
advantages
advantages and
disadvantages
mostly
disadvantages
don‘t know/
no response
Source: Association of German Banks; latest survey in March 2014; figures in per cent

3530
28
232423 22
35
25
17 18 1818
19
29 30
25
24
2930
17
24
31 30
27
34
44
45
40
4647464444
4749
52
4746
0
20
40
60
80
mostly advantages
mostly disadvantages
advantages and disadvantages
4
“For Germany, membership of the European Union
brings …”
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2011 2013 2014

“For Germany’s economic development, the EU is …”
5
32 33
52 54
11 10
2 2
9/2006 3/2014
very important
important
not so important
unimportant

Germany has come through the crisis well
The financial crisis and the sovereign debt crisis have
strengthened awareness that Germany is deeply embedded
in the EU and also benefits economically as a result.
Correspondingly, the great majority of citizens (79%) are
also convinced that Germany is better-off economically than
its western European neighbours. This reflects the view that
the country has come through the crisis/crises relatively
well. For the first time since the turn of the century, a
majority of Germans therefore believe that policymakers
have the ability to fix the country’s economic problems.
6

“Compared with its western European
neighbours, Germany’s economic situation is …”
7
79
14
5
better
the same
worse

Quelle: Bankenverband; jüngste Befragung März 2014; Angaben in Prozent. 8
“Compared with its western European neighbours,
Germany’s economic situation is …”
79
14
5
84
55
33
4340
5555
66
56
12
31
343030
24
31
35
3638
3
7
23
20
81059
28
16
0
20
40
60
80
100
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
better the same worse
2013

“Are policymakers able to fix the country’s economic
problems?”
20102002 2004 2008 9/2009 20112006 3/2009 2013
42
55
46
41
26
3232
23
30
35
46
37
51
56
71
6666
75
68
63
50
60
0
20
40
60
80
100
yes no
2012 2014

II.
A feeling that the euro crisis has been overcome
Alongside a more positive perception of the EU, trust and
confidence in the single European currency have also increased:
only 18% of respondents (following 31% in 2012) currently
believe that the euro brings mostly disadvantages for Germany.
Two-thirds of citizens (66%) are of the opinion that the euro has
(a) been a success so far and (b) will also be a success in the
long term (in 2012, only 49% in both cases). In the eyes of
citizens, the euro has evidently already passed the acid test.
10

“For Germany, the euro brings as a whole ...“
11
34
45
18
3
mostly
advantages
advantages and
disadvantages
mostly
disadvantages
don’t know/
no response

“For Germany, the euro brings as a whole …”
12
23
31
3433 31
18
39
35
45
mostly advantages
mostly disadvantages
3/2003 9/2012 3/2014

“For Germany, the euro brings as a whole ...”
45
32
2321
34
40
33 31
20 18
31
35
39
44
0
20
40
60
80
advantages
disadvantages
6/1999 2/2002 3/2003 9/2012 3/2014

“The euro …”
14
66 66
31
28
yes
no
… has been a
success so far
… will be a success
in the long term

“The euro has been a success so far.”
44
49
43
48
54
66
50
54
48
54
45
31
0
20
40
60
80
100
yes no
4/2010 10/2010 2/2011 9/2012 6/2013 3/2014

“The euro will be a success in the long term.”
16
66
55
60
78
7172
59
49 51
28
19 20
14
34
28
36
44 43
0
20
40
60
80
100
yes no
3/20085/2001 2/2002 3/2003 10/2010 2/2011 9/2012 6/2013 3/2014

III.
Majority for solidarity with the eurozone’s crisis-hit
countries
Nearly six out of ten respondents (57%) believe that it was right
to save the debt-laden eurozone countries from insolvency by
providing financial aid. Compared with summer 2013, this
proportion has increased slightly again.
17

“Saving the crisis-hit eurozone countries from
insolvency by providing financial aid was …”
18
57
37
6
right
wrong
don’t know/
no response

“Saving the crisis-hit eurozone countries from
insolvency by providing financial aid was …”
19
54
57
42
37
6/2013 3/2014
right wrong

20
About the survey
Survey period: 7 – 11 March 2014
Sample: 995 respondents (German citizens) aged 18 and
over
Survey method: Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI)
Commissioned by: Association of German Banks, Berlin
Current survey
and 2013 survey: GfK – Gesellschaft für Marktforschung,
Nuremberg
Earlier surveys: ipos – Institut für praxisorientierte
Sozialforschung, Mannheim
The results of all surveys are representative of the eligible voting population in
Germany. All results shown in per cent.
Percentage points short of 100 % accounted for by “don’t know”/no response.

Survey: Benefits and perceptions of Europe for Germany

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