Netherlands Stands Alone as EU life expectancy Declines
BRUSSELS - In a reversal of the continent-wide trend, the Netherlands is the sole EU member state experiencing a decrease in average life expectancy, according to newly released data from Eurostat. While lifespans are rising across the European Union, the average Dutch lifespan has shortened by approximately 2.5 months since 2019, falling from 82.2 years to 82 years in 2024.
This marks a significant shift for the Netherlands, which has slipped to 18th place in the EU rankings – though remaining slightly above the European average of 81.7 years. The decline raises concerns about public health trends within the country and prompts questions about factors contributing to this unique situation, as other nations like Spain and Sweden see their citizens living to 84 and 84.1 years respectively.
Eurostat figures reveal a broader picture of improving longevity across most of the EU. Bulgaria and Romania currently have the lowest average life expectancies at 75.9 and 76.6 years, respectively, but are demonstrating significant gains. Luxembourg and Sweden are also experiencing notable increases in lifespan.
Despite the overall downward trend in the Netherlands, there was a slight advancement between 2023 and 2024, with life expectancy increasing by 0.1 years. However, this marginal gain does not offset the broader decline observed over the past five years, leaving the netherlands aligned with Greece in terms of average lifespan.
