The Netherlands on the European scale 2016 scale European the on Netherlands The The Netherlands on the European scale 2016 Hoofdstuktitel 3 The Netherlands on the European scale 2016 Explanation of symbols Empty cell Figure not applicable Publisher . Figure unknown, insufficiently Statistics Netherlands reliable or confidential Henri Faasdreef 312, 2492 JP The Hague * Provisional figure www.cbs.nl ** Revised provisional figure 2014–2015 2014 to 2015 inclusive Prepress: Statistics Netherlands, Studio BCO 2014/2015 Average for 2014 to 2015 inclusive Printed by: Tuijtel, Hardinxveld-Giessendam 2014/’15 Crop year, financial year, school year, Design: Edenspiekermann etc., beginning in 2014 and ending in 2015 Information 2012/’13–2014/’15 Crop year, financial year, etc., 2012/’13 Telephone +31 88 570 70 70 to 2014/’15 inclusive Via contact form: www.cbs.nl/information Due to rounding, some totals may not correspond to the sum of the separate figures. Where to order The Netherlands on the European scale 2016 can be ordered via www.cbs.nl. Price € 10.00 (excluding postage) ISBN 978-90-357-1708-4 © Statistics Netherlands, The Hague/Heerlen/Bonaire, 2016. Reproduction is permitted, provided Statistics Netherlands is quoted as the source. Foreword ‘Europe’ is becoming an increasingly important than people in other countries. They are also concept in the Netherlands: for decision-makers, one of the richest countries in Europe, although researchers, producers and consumers. Together economic growth was lower than average in with Eurostat and the other national statistical the EU in 2014. The Netherlands ranks lowest in institutes in the European Union, Statistics terms of the share of science and technology Netherlands is working towards comparability graduates, however, and has one of the lowest of national data and a consistent European scores in the EU for the share of renewable statistical system. energy used in the country. Against the background of the recent crisis in In all the areas described in the book, there are Greece, the influx of migrants and the increased interesting differences not only between terrorism threat in Europe, the Netherlands countries and regions, but also between older takes over the Presidency of the Council of the and newer member states. Unless otherwise European Union from Luxembourg on 1 January stated, the data in this book are from Statistics 2016. This will trigger an extra demand for Netherlands and Eurostat. information about the EU. I hope you enjoy the book and invite you to visit This book shows how the Netherlands is faring www.cbs.nl/en for a lot more information in a number of areas compared with other EU about the Netherlands. member states. Where do the Dutch lead the field? Where are they lagging behind? Or are Director General they an average member state? It turns out that Dr T.B.P.M Tjin-A-Tsoi the Dutch are the happiest people in Europe. And that they trust their fellow citizens more The Hague/Heerlen/Bonaire, January 2016 3 European Union: some definitions European Union. In 1958, six countries, including EU-15. From 1995 to 2004, the European Union the Netherlands, founded the European Economic consisted of fifteen member states: Belgium, Community. In 1992, following the signing of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, the Maastricht Treaty, the name of the community France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, changed to European Union, or EU. The three Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the main institutions involved in the operation of United Kingdom. Together, these countries are the EU are the European Parliament, the Council called EU-15. of the European Union and the European Commission. EU-25, EU-27, EU-28. In 2004, ten new countries joined the European Union: the Czech Republic, Eurozone. In 2002, the euro replaced the Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, national currencies of twelve EU member states. Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia. Together with Since then another seven countries have the existing members, they constitute EU-25. introduced the euro as their official currency. When Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007, this The eurozone now comprises Belgium, became EU-27, and since the accession of Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia in 2013 it is now EU-28. Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland. 4 Europe 2020. The EU has developed a growth Eurostat. Eurostat has been the official strategy for the period 2010–2020. This strategy, statistical office of the European Union since Europe 2020, aims to realise the targets set for 1959. It is a directorate general of the European 2020 in the areas of employment, innovation, commission, and has its office in Luxembourg. education, social cohesion and climate. Each EU Eurostat collects national and regional statistics member state has translated these to national from the member states, where possible and targets. The Dutch targets are: after harmonisation calculates a European total – at least 80 percent labour participation; or average, and publishes these data on its – 2.5 percent of GDP to be earmarked for R&D; website and via press releases and other – maximum 8 percent early school-leavers; publications. In collaboration with the national – 40 percent of 30–34-year-olds to have statistical offices Eurostat ensures that the data completed higher education; are relevant, that they describe new trends and – 100 thousand fewer people at risk of developments and are comparable between poverty and social exclusion; member states. Moreover, Eurostat assures the – 16 percent reduction in greenhouse gas quality of statistics and together with the emissions from 1990 level. member states provides assistance and training in the area of statistics for new and candidate countries. 5 European Union EU BE Belgium BG Bulgaria CY Cyprus DK Denmark DE Germany BE België EE Estonia FI Finland BG Bulgarije FR France CY Cyprus EL Greece DK Denemarken HU Hungary SE FI DE Duitsland IE Ireland EE Estland IT Italy HR Croatia FI Finland LT Latvia FR Frankrijk LV Lithuania GR Griekenland LU Luxembourg HU Hongarije MT Malta EE NL Netherlands IE Ierland AT Austria HR Kroatië PL Poland LV LT Letland PT Portugal DK LV Litouwen RO Romania LT LU Luxemburg SI Slovenia SK Slovakia Malta MT ES Spain NL Nederland CZ Czech Republic IE UK AT Oostenrijk UK United Kingdom NL DE PL PL Polen SE Sweden BE PT Portugal LU RO Roemenië CZ SL Slovenië SK SK Slowakije AT HU ES Spanje FR SI HR CZ Tsjechië RO IT IT Italië UK Verenigd Koninkrijk SE Zweden BG EFTA landen PT ES EL Noorwegen Zwitserland IJsland Liechtenstein MT CY Contents 1 Trust 9 2 Happiness 13 3 Tourism and holidays 17 4 Asylum requests 21 5 International students 25 SE FI 6 Female STEM students 29 7 Balance of trade 33 8 Goods transhipment 37 9 Greenhouse gases 41 EE 10 Organic farming 45 LV 11 Environmental taxes 49 DK 12 Youth unemployment 53 LT 13 Labour market 57 IE 14 Working at older ages 61 UK NL DE PL 15 Poverty risk 65 BE 16 Economic growth 69 LU CZ 17 Bread and food prices 73 SK 77 AT 18 House prices HU FR 19 Government finance 81 SI HR RO IT 20 Health-care spending 85 21 Deaths from heart disease 89 BG 22 Source: Statistics Netherlands 93 PT ES EL MT CY Trust in the European Parliament, 2012 47% of the population in Belgium 18% of the population in the United Kingdom Percentage of population who trust other people, 2012 . DK 1. Trust . FI Levels of trust in other people and in social and political institutions are important indicators of social NL cohesion in a community. The Netherlands has a high 64.2 . SE position in the trust rankings, but how do other countries compare? . EE . LT . IE . UK . BE . ES . DE . IT . HU . SI . CZ . FR . PL . SK . CY . PT 9 . BG Dutch people show a high level of trust in other 1.1 Share of population who trust the European Parliament, people and in official institutions. Two-thirds of 2012 the population trust other people and the legal Unknown system, and just over three-quarters trust the Less than 20% police. 20 to 29% Differences between countries in the European 30 to 39% Union (EU-24) are large. Levels of trust are 40% or more highest in northern Europe, followed by countries in the west, south and east. In Denmark and Finland around three-quarters of the population trust their fellow citizens. The Netherlands completes the top three. In the countries bordering on the Netherlands - Germany and Belgium - people mistrust each other more. The lowest trust in other people is reported in Bulgaria, where fewer than one in five people say they trust other people. Trust in the legal system Only six countries enjoy the trust of the majority of their population in the legal system. In addition to the Netherlands these include the Scandinavian states, Germany and the United Kingdom. East European countries in particular express little faith in the functioning of the judiciary, but this is also the case in Portugal and Spain. The pattern is similar for trust in the 10 1.2 Trust of population in national parliament, 2012 police. Inhabitants of Bulgaria and Slovakia in particular have a low level of trust in the police. Trust in politics is an important indicator of how Denmark democratic a society is. Half of the Dutch Finland population trust politicians. This puts the Sweden Netherlands at the top of Europe. People in Netherlands many countries do not have much faith in Belgium politicians. Fewer than one in ten inhabitants of Germany Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Poland and United Kingdom Slovenia trust their national parliament.