you remind me, west German are still paying Solidalitaetszuschla

to support East Germany....it's directly deducted from the gross salary so no choice to avoid it. Open door to East Europe doesn't bring any cheaper farmer goods to West but cheaper labor into the job market and other problems. Many people from East flood into Germany to look for jobs, apply for social benefit like unemployment even they have never contributed anything to Germany. I know a Romanian woman did it as she thought she was EU now....and she was refused from the Arbeitsamt :-) Better take some desserts now instead of thinking about the endless burdens...