European Election Program, 9th European Parliament 2019, Finance and Economy

European Election Program

Program of the Alternative für Deutschland for Election

     of the 9th European Parliament 2019

Finance and Economy

4.5 Maintain Value Creation, Promote Key Technologies

We criticize the EU abolishing the combustion engine by all political means; i.e., by absurd limit values, driving bans and drastic penalty payments, which thereby drive the German automobile firms to foreign countries. We want the opposite; namely, reliable sector conditions which keep the business and the work with us. Additionally, firms should be supported by consultant service, cooperation and exchange platforms and with their start-up financing.

For the development of high technologies, we want to provide promotion funding which allows the users maximum flexibility. By way of example are here mentioned the space program and programs for the development of artificial intelligence. The system imminent difficulty of state-overlapping cooperation cannot lead to our falling behind more flexible actors.

4.6 Strengthen “Made in Germany”

National and regional quality standards and declarations of origin are to be defended. That includes marks like “Made in Germany” and also training standards. EU prescriptions cannot lead to qualifications acquired in foreign countries being made equivalent without submitting a workplace examination according to national standards.

European Election Program, 9th European Parliament 2019, Finance and Economy

European Election Program

Program of the Alternative für Deutschland for Election

     of the 9th European Parliament 2019

Finance and Economy

4.3.1 Reduction of EU Expenditures

The AfD demands a diminution of the budget by at least that of Great Britain’s omitted net income. Further costs originating from new EU propositions will only be permitted to be taken up when these costs are financed by savings in other areas of the EU budget. Expenditure reduction also includes shrinking the EU administration as well as an immediate end to the tourism, costly in terms of time and money, between the three workplaces of Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.

4.3.2 National Reforms instead of Redistribution

For decades the EU mainly sought to construct equivalent economic conditions in the member states by means of the redistribution of billions in cohesion funds. This goal proved to be unattainable. Over 70% of the yearly EU budget of 144.7 billion euros (2018) will be used for cohesion and agriculture. That has nothing to do with with the future security or further development of the EU.

The AfD therefore demands the cessation of the cohesion funds and the decrease of the EU budget by an equivalent measure. Structural improvements and reforms must be carried out under the national authority of the member states. The AfD further demands that a cost-benefit analysis be carried out in rotation for all expenditures and subventions. It shall thus be ascertained whether the expected goal was attained and whether it is sensible to continue.

4.4 Competition instead of Bureaucracy

The AfD sees the purpose of the European Union to be primarily in the areas of forming common European economies and the provision of fair competition conditions. Competition is a basic prerequisite for technical progress and for favorable consumer prices. The investor has to bear the economic risks, not the state and thereby ultimately the taxpayer. Conditions of market entry are to be assimilated so that a selling-off of our economy, for example to China, will be hindered. Intervention equivalent to expropriation, we reject. Similarly, we reject a parallel judiciary and special courts. For the economic miracle of the post-war years, Germany is indebted to its inventors and engineers and to the investors in know-how and production sites. Today, we are intimidated by, among other things, the bureaucratic layers. The AfD demands the reduction of bureaucratic expenses and a corresponding examination of EU donor guidelines, of EU service guidelines, of credit extension guidelines and the straight-forward documentation duties of the small businessman.

[Translated by Todd Martin]

European Election Program, 9th European Parliament 2019, Finance and Economy

European Election Program

Program of the Alternative für Deutschland for Election

     of the 9th European Parliament 2019

Finance and Economy

4.2 Business Taxation in the EU

One of the problem areas of global financial policy is the insufficient prevention of tax fraud and tax embezzlement. The AfD is therefore committed to the ending of illegal procedures with the help of the OECD. For that, the EU is not competent.

To avoid shifting of profits, states must alter their double taxation agreements with Germany. The national states are competent to manage tax agreements and negotiate with the OECD. We reject corresponding efforts to involve the EU in double taxation agreement negotiations. We reject a harmonization of business taxes driven by the EU on an apportionment basis as well as by tax assessment. Since the abolition of exchange rates within the Eurozone, countries can no longer compensate for trade imbalances. The AfD previously warned of doing away with national tax authority as an instrument of competition. The decisions of a country to compensate for disadvantages of location by means of reduced tax assessment are for countries with low economic performance indeed necessary for survival. We support a financial transactions tax should it be introduced and received by the national states in all trade centers, including those external to the EU. Otherwise, it will amount only to a displacement of trade activity.

4.3 EU Finance – Cask without a Head

The AfD decisively rejects the EU Commission’s proposal to increase the multi-year financial framework (MFR) from 192 to 1,279 billion euros for the years 2021 to 2027. In regards the EU’s shrinkage with the exit of the net contributor Great Britain, this would be absurd. Additionally, for the first time a special asset shall be financed with 28 billion euros for “globalization, solidarity fund and flexibility instrument”.  Germany’s EU contribution would then climb from the present 26 to 40 billion euros. That would be an increase of Germany’s portion of EU financing from the present 20 to then 24%.

The AfD rejects the expansion of the EU budget. Penalties imposed and received by the EU are to be forwarded proportionately to the member states.

[Translated by Todd Martin]