56% of EU citizens have basic digital skills in 2023
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — A recently released Eurostat report found 56% of EU residents aged 16-74 possessed basic digital skills in 2023, a two-percent increase from 2021.
The data covers five competence areas: information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety, and problem-solving. Respondents are considered to have basic skills if they have at least a minimal capability in each category.
Results showed that the countries with the highest rates of basic digital skills were the Netherlands (83%), Finland (82%), and Denmark (70%). Scoring the lowest were Romania (28%), Bulgaria (36%), and Poland (44%).
Eurostat tied the findings to the EU’s Digital Decade initiative and its goal for at least 80% of adults to have basic digital skills by 2030.
The new data shows the region is still far from its 80% goal, with only seven years left in the initiative.
“We are not making fast enough progress and if we want to attain the goals that we set ourselves we need to accelerate and be more audacious,” Commissioner for Education Mariya Gabriel said in April.
Earlier, the European Commission aimed for all EU countries to elaborate a national strategy for digital education and skills and monitor its impact.
While European governments have initiatives to address these skills shortages, immediate solutions like outsourcing are being used by companies to address vacancies.
