Digital Economy and Society Index 2018 - Main Takeaways
Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands have the most advanced digital economies in the EU followed by Luxembourg, Ireland, the UK, Belgium and Estonia. Romania, Greece and Italy have the lowest scores on the DESI.
In 2017, all Member States improved in the DESI. Ireland and Spain progressed the most (close to 5 points as opposed to an EU average of 3.2). On the other hand, there was low increase in Denmark and Portugal (below 2 points).
Digital Economy and Society Index 2018 - Key Findings
Connectivity
On Connectivity, the highest score was registered by the Netherlands followed by Luxembourg and Denmark. Greece, Croatia and Italy had the weakest performance
Fixed broadband is available to 98% of Europeans, and 80% of European homes are covered by fast broadband (at least 30 Mbps). At least 100 Mbps ultrafast connectivity is available to 58%.
4G mobile networks cover on average 91% of the EU's population (measured as the average of each mobile telecom operator's coverage within each country).
75% of European homes subscribe to fixed broadband, and one third of all homes have at least 30 Mbps. Ultrafast is emerging: 15% of homes use it already, which is twice as high as two years ago, but still well below the 2020 target of 50%.
- Read the full report on Broadband market developments in the EU 2018
Human Capital
In the Human Capital dimension, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden obtained the highest scores, and Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy got the lowest ones.
81% of Europeans go online regularly (at least once per week), up by 2 percentage points compared with the previous year.
43% of Europeans still do not have basic digital skills.
The EU improved slightly in the number of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates (19.1 graduates per 1000 people aged 20 to 29 years old in 2015, compared to 18.4. in 2013). There were 8.2 million ICT specialists in the EU in 2016, up from 7.3 million 3 years earlier.
- Read the full report on Digital Inclusion and Skills in the EU 2018
Use of Internet
Internet users are the most active in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. On this dimension, Romania, Italy and Bulgaria are at the bottom of the list.
The percentage of internet users that engage in various online activities, such as reading news online (72%), making video or audio calls (46%), using social networks (65%), shopping online (68%) or using online banking (61%) increased slightly over the last couple of years.
- Read the full report on Use of Internet Services by Citizens in the EU 2018
Integration of Digital Technology
Regarding the Integration of technology, businesses are the most advanced in Denmark, Finland and Ireland, and the least developed in Romania, Poland and Bulgaria.
European businesses are increasingly adopting digital technologies, such as the use of a business software for electronic information sharing (from 26% in 2013 to 34% of enterprises in 2017), sending electronic invoices (from 10% in 2013 to 18% of enterprises in 2016) or using social media to engage with customers and partners (from 15% in 2013 to 21% of enterprises in 2017).
eCommerce by SMEs also grew slightly (from 14% in 2013 to 17% of SMEs in 2017). Nevertheless, less than half of these companies sell to another EU Member State.
- Read the full report on Integration of Digital Technology in the EU 2018
Digital Public Services
European champions in Digital Public Services are Finland, Estonia and Denmark, while Greece, Hungary and Romania are lagging behind.
The quality of European online public services improved with an increase of 5 points in pre-filled forms (measuring the reuse of user data already known to the public administration), 2 points in services for businesses and 2 points in online service completion.
- Read the full report on Trends in European Digital Public Services in the EU 2018
Research & Development
In its first four years, Horizon 2020 (H2020) has allocated EUR 5.7 billion of EU funding to 1969 projects in the field of ICT, attracting 6250 organisations. SMEs make up more than 25% of the participating organisations. 95% of EU funding in H2020 is allocated to EU Member States, followed by associated countries. Third countries take part in H2020 but with little EU funding (1%).
The ICT sector value added amounted to EUR 632 billion in 2015. ICT services represented 92% of total ICT sector value added. ICT services (excluding telecoms) were the dominant sector and the only one to be expanding. The value added of the ICT sector grew much faster than the rest of the economy in real terms. At global level, the share of the ICT sector value added in EU's GDP is lagging behind the main competitors (Japan, United States, China).
R&D expenditure by business companies (BERD) in the ICT sector amounted to EUR 32 billion in 2015. The ICT services sector was responsible for 63% (EUR 20 billion) of ICT BERD in 2015. The estimated level of publicly funded expenditure on R&D in the ICT sector in the EU reached EUR 6.4 billion in 2016. Estimated public R&D expenditure in the ICT sector was more than 25% below the necessary trend line for doubling publicly funded R&D in the ICT sector between 2007 and 2020.
- Read the full report on ICT Sector and R&D performance in the EU 2018
- See also Horizon 2020 Research Projects in the ICT domain in the EU 2018
Digital Economy and Society Index 2018 - Country Reporting
See country-by-country reporting on how each Member State fares in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) in 2018.
- Austria
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (DE) - Belgium
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (FR) / DESI country profile (NL) - Bulgaria
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (BG) - Croatia
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (HR) - Cyprus
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (EL) - Czech Republic
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (CS) - Denmark
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (DA) - Estonia
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (ET) - Finland
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (FI) - France
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (FR) - Germany
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (DE) - Greece
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (EL) - Hungary
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (HU) - Ireland
DESI country profile (EN) - Italy
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (IT) - Latvia
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (LV) - Lithuania
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (LT) - Luxembourg
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (FR) - Malta
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (MT) - Netherlands
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (NL) - Poland
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (PL) - Portugal
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (PT) - Romania
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (RO) - Slovakia
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (SK) - Slovenia
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (SL) - Spain
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (ES) - Sweden
DESI country profile (EN) / DESI country profile (SV) - United Kingdom
DESI country profile (EN) - Norway
DESI country profile (EN)