Some 10.6 million people have now registered their wish to donate or not donate their organs after death on the Dutch donor register, national statistics agency CBS said on Wednesday.

But of them, a growing group are opposed to donating any of their organs after death, the CBS said. Legislation introduced in 2020 to boost organ donation introduced the “yes unless” principle, so those who have not said “yes” or “no” are deemed to be in favour.

Of the total number of registrations, 1.5 million people have agreed to their organs being used to treat another person and 3.3 million have not made any choice.

But 4.3 million people have said they do not give permission for their organs to be used and a further 1.5 million have said it will be up to their relatives to decide, the CBS said.

The figures also show that people with roots in other countries have a different attitude to organ donation to the native Dutch.

Some 34% of the native Dutch have said they will not donate their organs compared with 45% of people with their roots in Indonesia or elsewhere in Europe, and 96% of people born in Morocco.

This could lead to shortages of organs for some people because of the need to find a good match, the CBS said.