It's easy to use confusing wording when discussing the EU as a place with certain common traits but not necessarily the EU organization.

This happens when discussing America, too, as most of our laws and taxes are also not national.

I think that if you look at individual countries, then you're absolutely right. Shouldn't confuse the EU with the sum of the EU countries, because Brussels' power of economies, although growing, is still minimal.

optimism

The EU has a bunch of environmental, labor, protectionist, and health regulations that make doing business there less profitable.

Also, we were talking about Europe, not specifically the EU government layer. So, all the taxes to fund the bureaucracy and state provided services should be included on this side of the ledger. (I shouldn't have said "EU bureaucracy", when I meant the general amount of bureaucracy in the EU.)

econ

The Real Existential Threat Facing Europe

siggy47

Why can't it be both?

The EU has a bunch of environmental, labor, protectionist, and health regulations that make doing business there less profitable.

Also, we were talking about Europe, not specifically the EU government layer. So, all the taxes to fund the bureaucracy and state provided services should be included on this side of the ledger. (I shouldn't have said "EU bureaucracy", when I meant the general amount of bureaucracy in the EU.)