Clingendael Institute

The Dutch Dragging Their Feet: The Challenge of Being Constructive While Making the EU ‘FitFor30+, a policy brief by Camille van Hees, Louise van Schaik, and Wouter Zweers of the Clingendael Institute in The Hague, looks at EU enlargement from the perspective of Dutch political debates and decision-making.

The likelihood of a European Union with 30 or more Member States increases as the debate on EU enlargement gains momentum, with a consensus emerging on the need for reform to accommodate a larger union. Despite the Netherlands historically obstructing enlargement efforts, recent years have seen a more constructive approach, yet the country is currently lagging in discussions, risking exclusion from crucial negotiations and compromises unless policymakers prioritize understanding public sentiment and engaging with the evolving EU landscape.

The Dutch Dragging Their Feet, Clingendael Institute, published on 14 November 2023, available here