EU budget: Who pays the most into the EU, and who gains the most?

The EU enables EU countries to achieve more together than they could if they acted alone. Member states contribute to the EU budget and also receive funds from it. Some countries end up as net contributors, meaning they pay in more than they get back, while others are net beneficiaries, receiving more than they contribute. 

Of course, these receipts are not the only benefits of being an EU member. The joint budget reflects the EU's principle of solidarity, enabling significant development across various fields within the bloc.

Which EU countries contribute the most to the EU budget, and which receive the most payments? Which member states are net contributors, and which are net beneficiaries? How do contributions and receipts vary on a per-person basis? Euronews Business takes a closer look at the EU budget.

According to the European Commission, in 2023, the EU's "Big Four" were the largest contributors to the EU budget in 2023: Germany (€33.8bn), France (€25.8bn), Italy (€18.8bn), and Spain (€13.6bn).

Nine countries contributed less than €1bn to the EU budget in 2023, with the smallest contributions coming from Malta (€112m), Cyprus (€259m), and Estonia (€355m).

Among the beneficiaries, the top five included Poland alongside the EU's "Big Four". France received €16.5bn, followed by Poland (€14.1bn), then Germany (€14bn), Italy (€12.8bn), and Spain (€12.1bn).

At the bottom, three countries received less than €1bn from the EU budget: Malta (€277m), Cyprus (€393m), and Slovenia (€952m).

Ten EU countries were net contributors, while 17 were net beneficiaries. The countries that contributed more to the EU budget than they received include:

Poland was the top net beneficiary, receiving €7.1bn, followed by Romania (€5.9bn), Belgium