Dutch citizens remain more positive about the European Union than the citizens of many other EU states, according to the results of the latest Eurobarometer survey published on Tuesday.

Some 85% of respondents in the Netherlands said the country benefited from EU membership, compared to an average of 74% across the bloc. This is the highest result recorded overall since the question was first asked, in 1983, and the figure reaches 82% among young people.

The research, carried out between 9 January and 4 February 2025, a critical time for international politics, shows that respondents consider the EU’s role in maintaining peace and strengthening security as the main benefit of EU membership (35%). In the Netherlands, however, the figure was 50%.

For the Dutch, the top benefit was improving cooperation with other EU countries (chosen by 60% compared to 34% across the EU), peace and security, and economic growth (46% compared to 28%).

However, only 5% of Dutch respondents said that people have a significant influence in EU decisions, compared to 13% across the EU.

Dutch respondents are also positive about the role of the EU in the world in the coming years. Two-thirds said the EU will become stronger, while an average of 44% in other EU countries believe this will be the case.

Two thirds of EU citizens (66%) want the EU to play a greater role in protecting them against global crises and security risks, according to the survey, and the proportion reaches 70% among young people. At the national level, the share ranges from 87% in Sweden and 84% in the Netherlands to 47% in Romania and 44% in Poland.

Dutch people also said the EU should reinforce its global position when it comes to defence and security (44% compared to 36% across the EU), energy independence (35% compared to 27%), democracy and human rights (28% compared to 21%) and AI (27% compared to 13%).

Nine in ten (89%) respondents in the survey also said that EU countries should be more united to face “current global challenges”, a proportion that increases to 93% in the Netherlands.

Most people also believe the EU needs more resources to face the global situation, but the share is slightly lower in the Netherlands (75%) compared to other EU countries (76%).