虽然芬兰和爱尔兰等面积较小的成员国（其中也包括西班牙）和丹麦、瑞典两个非欧元区国家一直坚持财政平衡或小有盈余（尽管盈余量日渐减少）的预算原则，但英、法、德等欧盟最大的成员都不愿或无力遵守这项规则。
Smaller member states, notably Finland and Ireland (as well as Spain) and the two non-euro area countries Denmark and Sweden, have stuck to the principle of fiscal balance or small – though diminishing – surpluses. But the largest European Union members, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, have been unable or unwilling to play by the rules.