English continues to be the global language for communication, yet recent data reveals that EU residents demonstrate stronger reading and listening abilities compared to their speaking and writing skills.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Dutch have retained their position as the world leaders in English proficiency as a foreign language, according to recent research, despite a general decline in the Netherlands’ scores since 2024.
The EF English Proficiency Index report indicates the country’s global rating has dropped by 12 points from last year, though it still holds the leading position.
Other EU members, Croatia and Austria, complete the top three, having increased their scores by 10 and 16 points respectively since 2024.
Twelve EU nations are classified within the very high proficiency bracket, defined by the ability to use nuanced, contextually suitable language in social settings, effortlessly read complex texts, and negotiate contracts with native English speakers.
Conversely, Italy, Cyprus, and France rank lowest among EU countries, categorized under moderate proficiency.
Five EU countries—Lithuania, Spain, France, Cyprus, and Italy—fall into this band, characterized by competences such as participating in expert meetings, understanding song lyrics, and composing professional emails on familiar topics.
The 2025 EF English Proficiency Index bases its findings on test results from 2.2 million adults across 123 countries and regions.
In 2023, English was the predominant foreign language studied at both general and vocational upper secondary education levels in the EU, with 96.0% and 80.1% of students respectively enrolled in English courses, as per the latest Eurostat data.
Even with its widespread inclusion in classrooms throughout Europe, disparities remain in proficiency levels and demographic trends.
Across all EU states, reading and listening emerge as the strongest language skills, surpassing speaking and writing.
EF also highlights a gender-based proficiency gap: from 2014 to 2025, English skills improved by 40 points for men and 20 points for women in Europe.
The youngest adult demographic shows lower proficiency than prior to the COVID pandemic; in 2025, more countries reported declines in this age group than improvements.
Over the last decade, only Europeans aged 18 to 20 have experienced a reduction in their English proficiency levels.
What role does AI play in English learning?
An estimated 2 billion individuals speak English, having learned it at various stages and through diverse methods, ranging from traditional classroom instruction to online tutoring via video calls and gamified vocabulary applications.
Alongside the growth of automated translation, research indicates steady expansion in the application of AI within educational contexts.
«The consumer market for English learning is undergoing unprecedented change as AI drives increasingly advanced mobile apps and online platforms,» stated Christopher McCormick, head of assessment at EF.
According to EF, AI has the potential to revolutionize English testing by rapidly and precisely grading writing and speaking tasks, as well as assisting in idea generation, lesson planning, and content updates.
Nevertheless, experts advise that this progress should be accompanied by responsible usage practices, transparent guidelines, and awareness of potential limitations.