Then why can't they project better?
This article puts France at 5th or 6th:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_expenditures
If you add the % of the EU countries in the top 15 you get 11.5% vs the US's 36. Toss in another (unlikely) 10% for the balance of the EU and you still only get 21.5.
So let them complain, my take.
Pete