On 3 March 2017, the European Commission published the latest figures on the digitalization of the economy and society in the EU member states.
The DESI (Digital Economy and Society Index) is made up of a total of 31 relevant indicators, which together reflect the status and development of EU countries in the field of digitalization. In the course of the digital transformation, the absolute value of the DESI has risen continuously in recent years. It is therefore not surprising that the EU member states also had a higher index for the 2016 survey period than in 2015. As in the previous year, Germany was in 11th place and therefore in the front midfield of the 28 member states. The top three places were taken by Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Bringing up the rear are Greece, Bulgaria and Romania.
The DESI data are important key figures for digitalization in Europe. In addition to the dimensions of connectivity and internet usage, DESI also maps the integration of digital technology in the economy, the development of digitalization in public administration and the population’s ability to use digital, network-based technologies.
The dimensions in detail:
Connectivity
Wired broadband connections are available to 98% of Europeans and 74% of households use them. Just over a third of these households use so-called “high-speed” connections with at least 30 Mbps.
Fourth-generation mobile networks – so-called 4G networks, which are based on the LTE standard and enable data transfer rates of up to 150 Mbps – are theoretically available to 84% of the EU population. Together with Lithuania, Sweden and Latvia, Germany is the leader here. However, in order to meet future requirements, the European Commission is aiming for a nationwide expansion of 5G networks by 2025, which should enable the use of the latest digital applications and their further development. Overall, Germany ranks among the leaders in the “connectivity” dimension, which aggregates the key figures for mobile and wired networks.
Internet usage (Use of internet)
This dimension refers to the intensity of internet use, taking into account the different modes of use. Overall, active internet use increased again in 2016. In addition to use as a news platform (relevant for 70% of users), online shopping (66%), online banking (59%) and social networks (63%) are particularly important everyday areas of use. Germany is well in the middle in this dimension. Online shopping in particular is already well accepted by users from Germany – almost three quarters of all inhabitants put Germany in fifth place in a European comparison.
Integration of digital technology into the economy (Integration of digital technology)
Digitalization is a significant growth driver for the economy. The use of digital technologies enables efficiency gains and cost reductions. In addition, the internet is an increasingly important channel for trade and access to new markets. Accordingly, the European economy is increasingly relying on digital solutions, including for sharing information (36% of companies use such applications), for invoicing (18%) and for contacting customers and partners via social networks (20%). Here, too, Germany is in the front midfield.
Development of the digitalization of public administration (digital public services)
This dimension measures the degree of digitalization of public administration. Such eGOvernment services are becoming increasingly important in EU countries – 34% of EU citizens now use these digital services. Germany still has some catching up to do here.
Skills and abilities in dealing with digital and network-based technology (human capital)
In addition to skills in the use of digital applications, this dimension also reflects the degree of specialization in the individual countries, for example the number of employees in the so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and ICT (information and communication technology) professions. Although 79% of people in the EU regularly go online, 3% more than in the previous year, 44% of all EU citizens still lack basic digital skills. Germany ranks eighth in this dimension.
All DESI figures, the accompanying statistics and further data are available at: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/desi.
