Reason to complain? This is how the Netherlands stands compared to other EU countries
The Netherlands is one of the richest countries in the European Union. But what about in other areas? With Budget Day in prospect, RTL Nieuws looked at how we are doing in the field of health, work, childcare, care, housing, education and safety.
Love in the Netherlands has never been so high. In August, prices were on average 13.7 percent higher than a year earlier. If we compare the Netherlands with the rest of the European Union, we see that there are seven countries where the rate was even higher. At over 25 percent, it was the highest in Estonia.
Dutch people work long
In the Netherlands, we are the frontrunner in terms of the number of years we work. A Dutch person who starts working today is expected to do so for 42.5 years. At 66 years and 7 months, our retirement age is one of the highest in the European Union.
is also the country with the most jobs: more than 80 percent of the working population has a paid job. But we are also the country with the largest share of part-time workers: average working hours per week 30.9 hours, the lowest in the whole of the EU.
During childcare
If you, as a Dutch family with an average income, take your child to childcare throughout the week, this will cost you about 15 percent of your salary. Do you earn less? Then you also lose less of your income. Check out how the Netherlands is doing compared to other EU countries in the graph below.
Best care
After Germany, the Netherlands has the highest healthcare costs per capita in the EU. But we do get quality in return. The Dutch healthcare system is one of the best in the European Union.
In the Netherlands, the number of people still alive five years after cancer diagnosis is higher than the EU average. Also, the number of deaths from avoidance and treatable care is higher than in most countries and participation in population studies is high. The Dutch also report more often that they receive the medical treatments they want, according to research by the OECD (Organization for Economic and Development).
(Un)affordable living
House prices have risen in recent years, more in the Netherlands than in other countries. The sales price for an owner-occupied home was 64 percent higher in 2021 than in 2015. Only a few other countries saw a higher increase.
On average, a Dutch person also spends more on housing than other Europeans. A Dutch person spends almost a quarter of his income on housing. Only Greeks and Danes lost more.
Education is declining
The reading skills of Dutch young people are deteriorating rapidly, according to the most recent PISA study. PISA compares the educational performance of 15-year-old students in 77 countries. Dutch students have little pleasure in reading and have difficulty understanding texts. A quarter of young people are even at risk of low literacy.
In addition to reading skills, PISA also compares educational performance in mathematics and natural sciences. According to the researchers, the Netherlands is in a downward spiral in all areas, but in mathematics and natural sciences, Dutch fifteen-year-olds do on average even better than their peers in other EU countries.
In primary education, the classes are also overcrowded if you compare the group size with other EU countries, and in higher education we pay more tuition fees on average.
Dutch people feel safe
When it comes to a sense of security, the Netherlands is in good hands. Eight out of ten Dutch people indicate that they walk the streets at night with peace of mind. Only Denmark and Slovenia feel safer.
that we feel safe, more than 15 percent of the population indicates that violence, vandalism of crime is nearby, despite European research shows. The Dutch also have to deal with violence, fraud by people who harass them, more often than average.
Luck
But the Dutch are a line from the happy people of the European Union. In 2021, the Netherlands was in fifth place in the Happines Index. The Dutch have given their happiness an average of 7.4 for years.
accountability
RTL Nieuws compared figures on various social themes. For this study, use was made of various data sources, such as Eurostat and data from the OECD. click on here for a complete overview of all data sources used and an explanation of the figures.