Greece has consistently received at least 2% net of their GNI each year in subsidies from EU since 2000. This is investment in Greece with EU fees removed. (EL is Greece in the data below).<p>Germany consistently operated at a net deficit of 6-8 B euro&#x2F;year in terms of EU fees vs EU investment in Germany.<p>That same wealth transfer is taking place in the EU as well. Not on the same scale possibly, but it certainly takes place.<p>Greece&#x27;s 6B net gain in 2008 makes up 1&#x2F;9th of their total welfare spend in 2009 for instance (56B).<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;ec.europa.eu&#x2F;budget&#x2F;financialreport&#x2F;2014&#x2F;annex&#x2F;3&#x2F;index_en.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;ec.europa.eu&#x2F;budget&#x2F;financialreport&#x2F;2014&#x2F;annex&#x2F;3&#x2F;inde...</a><p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;stats.oecd.org&#x2F;Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SOCX_AGG" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;stats.oecd.org&#x2F;Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SOCX_AGG</a><p>I agree that it was not a good move to join the currency union for Greece. That was a bad choice by Greece, and a greedy move to manage finances short term with artificially cheap borrowing.