Portugal's performance towards the Digital Decade targets and objectives.
In 2023, Portugal made notable progress in e-health. However, important challenges persist in improving basic and advanced skills across the population. In the past year, Portugal advanced in rolling out 5G networks, including in the 3.4–3.8 GHz band.
Two main strengths or areas of progress
Connectivity infrastructure
Portugal is on track to reach 100% coverage for Gigabit connectivity and basic 5G much earlier than 2030. Portugal scores among the best in the EU for 5G in the 3.4-3.8 GHz band, considered the primary pioneer band for 5G in the Union, with 65.2% of Portuguese households covered.
eHealth
e-Health maturity improved by almost 40% since last year and is now above the EU average (86, against the EU average of 79.1 in the EU).
Two main weaknesses or areas to improve
Basic digital skills
The population’s level of at least basic digital skills (56%) is just above the EU average (55.6%), showing limited progress in the past few years.
ICT specialists
The proportion of ICT specialists in employment is slightly lower than the EU average (4.5% vs 4.8%), with a stagnating share of women in the profession (20% in 2023, against 21% in 2021).
Portugal's Key Performance Indicators
Portugal’s Digital Decade strategic roadmap
Portugal’s roadmap demonstrates that the country plans limited effort to achieve the Digital Decade objectives and targets. It sets targets for 4 out of 14 key performance indicators (KPIs) and, in most of the cases, targets are aligned with the EU 2030 ambitions. To achieve its digital transformation, Portugal plans to allocate a total budget (excluding private investments) estimated at EUR 854 million (0.3% GDP).
Digital rights and principles
The Special Eurobarometer 'Digital Decade 2024' highlights that 43% of Portuguese respondents believe the EU protects their digital rights, slightly below the EU average of 45%. Confidence in digital privacy stands at 48%, also lower than the EU average. Concerns have risen significantly, with 60% of respondents worried about children's online safety (+20% compared to 2023) and 52% about control over personal data (+15%). These findings underscore the need to reinforce digital rights at national level. Despite the concerns, 78% consider digital technologies important for accessing public services and 83% for connecting with friends and family, aligning with the EU average.
Country-Specific Recommendations
Portugal must improve its performance towards the Digital Decade targets and objectives, to foster competitiveness, resilience, sovereignty, and promote European values and climate action.
Basic digital skills
Intensify efforts including by evaluating the take-up of the current measures and the remaining needs in order to meet the ambitious target.
ICT specialists
Adopt additional measures to improve the number of ICT specialists, including cybersecurity experts. Encourage young people (particularly women) to pursue ICT studies and careers.
Digitalisation of SMEs and unicorns
Intensify the existing measures in view of the ambitious target on the basic digital intensity of enterprises, taking also into account the need to ensure continuity of support until 2030, and continue reinforcing the country's start-up and scale-up ecosystem.
Adoption of advanced technologies by enterprises
Envisage specific measures for the take up of cloud, AI, and data analytics, such as reinforced collaboration between public and private sectors and with academia, to better match the potential of these technologies with the business needs
More on the Digital Decade Report 2024
Check out the progress of all Member States and extracts of country-specific recommendations.