Dutch counting on EU more than ever for protection against global crises

The Dutch are counting more than ever on the European Union to protect them from global crises and security risks, according to the Eurobarometer published on Tuesday. Over eight out of ten Dutch people (84 percent) believe that the role of the EU should become more important in this, just like the Finns.

Sweden wants this the most of all member states, with 87 percent. The EU average is 66 percent.

According to the Dutch, the EU should do more in defense and security to strengthen its global position. On this point, the Netherlands is in fourth place among the 27 member states. This is particularly important to the Latvians, followed by the Danes and the Finns.

93 percent of the Dutch believe that the EU member states should work together more closely to be able to tackle the current challenges, the Eurobarometer shows. The EU average is slightly lower at 89 percent.

Three-quarters of the Dutch believe that more money should be invested in the European Union budget in these turbulent times. This is in line with the EU average. In Finland, Cyprus, and Malta, over 90 percent of inhabitants want a larger EU budget.

The member states all contribute a predetermined amount to the EU budget. The Dutch government wants to contribute less.

The first negotiations on a new multi-annual budget will start soon. This will determine the size of the EU budget, how it is spent, and the size of the contribution of each member state.

The Dutch ascribe a more important role to the EU on the world stage in the coming years than the EU average. Almost seven out of ten Dutch people (66 percent) expect the EU to play a more prominent role in the world, compared to an EU average of 44 percent. 13 percent of the Dutch expect the EU to lose power, the EU average is 18 percent.

Dutch people see a lot of benefits to the EU, according to the research. When asked about the top three benefits, cooperation with other EU countries came first, followed by protecting peace and strengthening security, and contributing to the economic growth of the Netherlands.

The survey was conducted between January 8 and February 4 among citizens in all Member States. Over 26,000 people were interviewed.