The value of Europe is manifold. In the face of the current Eurozone crisis, however, public perception of these values is increasingly undermined, fostering negative attitudes towards European integration. In addition, there is a lack of a scientific assessment on Europe’s value, which is taking into account the current situation. Thus, the aim of the project developed by IEP is to conduct a study on the value of Europe for Germany and its citizens by shedding light on economic, societal and political dimensions of European integration. The research is based on the assumptions that parameters of political integration have changed severely, that public debates are increasingly Euro-skeptic, and that in Germany a general permissive consensus towards European integration no longer exists. Therefore, IEP sets out to analyze the costs and benefits of European integration in order to capture Europe’s value for Germany in more concrete terms. In this way, pro-European actors are given solid arguments for European integration in order to strengthen Germany’s capacity as a European actor in the long run. The key argument is that European integration is in Germany’s deep self-interest both as an export nation and as a member of the international community.
The findings of the study will be presented in Berlin in early 2013 and published in the framework of IEP’s publications series.