HAGUE – The Clingendael Institute, European Fund for the Balkans (EFB), Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) and d|part are organizing the event “Do the Dutch support EU enlargement with the Western Balkans?” on Friday 25 November at Huys Clingendael. The Netherlands, and specifically Dutch citizens, are often seen as fundamentally sceptical about EU enlargement. But how deeply rooted is scepticism on EU enlargement in the Dutch population? How do public attitudes towards enlargement relate to broader perceptions of the European Union? And does it matter if people have seen the latest season of the popular gameshow ‘Wie is de mol’, which was recorded in Albania? To answer these questions and more the report “Strict, fair and more open towards EU enlargement! Dutch Public Opinion on EU Membership of the Western Balkans” as prepared by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB), Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) and d|part will be launched. The study, conducted early summer in the Netherlands through a public opinion survey (N=1500, May-June), in-person focus groups (in Rotterdam, June), and interviews with policy and decision makers (August-October) offers a detailed insight into Dutch public attitudes on EU enlargement.
Discussion: “Do the Dutch support EU enlargement with the Western Balkans?” on 25 November
