Internet in the European Union - A Comprehensive Overview

The European Union has made significant strides in ensuring internet access for all its citizens. The EU's Digital Agenda aimed to provide 30 Mbps internet speeds to all households by 2020.

With a population of over 500 million, the EU has a diverse range of internet users, from urban dwellers to rural communities. The EU's population is also aging, with over 20% of its citizens aged 65 or older.

Internet penetration in the EU is high, with over 80% of households having access to the internet. However, there are still disparities in internet access between urban and rural areas.

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You can access good quality electronic communication services at an affordable price, including basic internet access, anywhere in the EU. This is known as the "universal service" provision.

To find out more, contact the national regulatory authorities in your country. They'll put you in touch with your universal service provider.

The EU aims to have European households access high-speed internet coverage by 2025 and gigabit connectivity by 2030. This is part of the Digital Decade connectivity goals.

The EU is working to implement standardised rules for connectivity services, fostering a regulatory environment that incentivises investment in telecommunication markets. This will lead to increased consumer choice, service standards, and affordability.

To achieve this, the EU is modernising and consolidating its telecommunications regulations into a unified framework. This includes introducing the European electronic communications code and supporting harmonised technical conditions for EU-wide interoperability of wireless through the radio spectrum policy programme.

Here are some key statistics on mobile internet usage in Europe:

The EU is also working to expand and implement 5G networks, providing funding, developing technical guidance, and fostering collaboration among experts. This will empower public administrations and businesses, facilitating their endeavors to advance connectivity and embrace the transformative potential of 5G technology.

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The European Union has made significant strides in making the internet accessible to all its citizens. Public sector websites in EU countries must respect strict web accessibility standards, ensuring equal access to information and functionalities for all users.

These standards include having a clear accessibility statement, using alternative text for non-text content, and ensuring that content is correctly structured and uses clearly indicated elements. This makes it easier for users with disabilities to navigate and use assistive technologies like screen readers.

In practice, EU public sector websites should also use subtitles on pre-recorded audiovisual content, descriptive and easily understandable links, headings, and labels. They should also allow users to navigate the page using only their keyboard and review and correct forms before sending them.

In fact, 94% of all households surveyed in the EU in 2024 had access to the internet, with the highest rates reported in the Netherlands and Luxembourg at 99%. However, there are still disparities in internet access across the EU, with Greece and Croatia reporting the lowest rates at 87%.

Users with disabilities are also entitled to special accessibility devices from their service provider, such as magnification software or a screen reader. Véronique, a user from France with limited vision, was able to access a screen reader that enabled her to read and access information online.

Here are some key statistics on internet access in the EU:

These statistics highlight the importance of continued efforts to improve internet access and accessibility across the EU. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and connected digital society.

In the European Union, internet usage varies significantly from one country to another. In 2024, Denmark and Luxembourg had the highest shares of individuals having used the internet in the last 3 months before the survey, with figures over 99%.

The share of individuals who never used the internet was the highest in Croatia, Greece, and Portugal with 14%, 11%, and 10% respectively. This suggests that there are still some people in these countries who are not connected to the internet.

In the EU, 70% of individuals surveyed connected to a public authorities' websites or apps in 2024. Denmark had the highest rate among the EU countries, with 99% of individuals having connected to a public authorities' website or app.

The most common issues encountered by users of public authorities' websites or apps were technical problems, difficulties due to the use of the website, and issues related to digital identification. In Spain, the highest share of individuals reporting technical problems was found in 2024 with 30%.

Here's a breakdown of the issues encountered by users of public authorities' websites or apps in the EU in 2024:

The internet usage varies greatly across different regions in the European Union. In 2024, the share of individuals having used the internet in the last 3 months was highest in Denmark and Luxembourg, with figures over 99%.

The share of individuals who never used the internet was the highest in Croatia, Greece, and Portugal, with 14%, 11%, and 10% respectively.

In the EU, among those having used the internet in the last 3 months, less than 5% used the internet at least once a week but not every day, while the rate of daily users rose to 88% in 2024.

Daily internet users accounted for 88% of those who used the internet in the last 3 months in the EU in 2024.

The rates of daily users were comparable to the rate of those who used the internet in the last 3 months in the Netherlands and Ireland.

In the EU, 70% of the individuals surveyed connected to a public authorities' websites or apps in 2024.

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Denmark and the Netherlands had the highest rates of individuals having connected to a public authorities' websites or apps, at 99% and 96% respectively.

The lowest rate of internet users having connected to a public authorities' websites or apps was found in Romania, with 25%.

Here's a breakdown of the regions with the highest and lowest rates of internet users having connected to a public authorities' websites or apps:

In 2024, 38% of users in the EU reported having encountered no problems with public authorities' websites or apps.

Digital inclusion is a crucial aspect of the European Union's digital transformation. The European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade aims to leave nobody behind in this transformation.

In 2024, the internet access in rural areas of Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Malta, and Germany is comparable to that in cities. However, the difference in internet access between cities and rural areas is highest in Greece and Bulgaria with 15 percentage points.

The EU has made significant progress in reducing the digital divide, with 94% of all households surveyed in the EU having access to the internet in 2024. The highest rates of household connection to the internet were reported by the Netherlands and Luxembourg with 99%, while Greece and Croatia reported the lowest rates with 87%.

The European Union's accessibility standards for public sector websites are strict, requiring websites to be accessible to all users. This includes using alternative text for non-text content, subtitles on pre-recorded audiovisual content, and ensuring that content is correctly structured and uses clearly indicated elements.

Here are some key accessibility requirements for EU public sector websites:

These standards are designed to ensure that everyone can access information and services online, regardless of their abilities or location.

In 2024, 71% of individuals aged 16-74 years used internet connected devices, a significant indicator of the IoT's impact in European households.

The use of IoT devices in the EU is widespread, with 63% of individuals using home connected devices. This trend is even more pronounced in the Netherlands, where 95% of individuals used internet connected devices and 75% used home connected devices.

However, not everyone is on board with the IoT revolution, with 41% of non-users citing a lack of need for such devices. The cost of IoT devices is also a deterrent, with 9% of non-users citing price as a prohibitive factor.

Security concerns are another obstacle, with 7% of non-users citing this as a reason for not using IoT devices.

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The European Union has a clear vision for its digital future, with a focus on making technology work for the people. This vision is outlined in the European Commission's strategy for A Europe fit for the digital age.

The strategy is built on three pillars: technology that works for the people, a fair and competitive digital economy, and an open, democratic, and sustainable society. These pillars are designed to help the EU achieve its 2030 digital targets, which include increasing the use of ICT in households and by individuals.

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The European Commission has proposed the Path to the digital decade, which introduces a governance framework to reach the targets set out by the 2030 Digital Compass. This framework includes monitoring indicators, such as data on the use of ICT in households and by individuals, which appears among the monitoring indicators of the European Skills Agenda.

Here are some key statistics and resources related to the methodology and context of the EU's digital strategy:

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The methodology behind the data is based on several key sources. The ICT usage in households and by individuals is sourced from the ESMS metadata file — isoc_i.

Methodological manuals for statistics on the information society are also used to guide the collection and analysis of data. These manuals provide a framework for understanding the complexities of digital transformation.

The European Commission's Digital Compass for the EU's Digital Decade is a key reference point for the methodology. This initiative sets out four cardinal points: skills, digital transformation of businesses, secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, and digitalisation of public services.

The monitoring indicators of the European Skills Agenda are also used to inform the methodology. These indicators help to track progress towards the EU's digital targets for 2030.

The following sources are used to inform the methodology:

The European Union has made significant strides in internet access, with an impressive 94% of households now connected in 2024, a 14% increase from 2014. This is a testament to the EU's commitment to digital inclusion.

Emailing is a common activity among EU internet users, with 80% sending or receiving emails in 2024. This suggests that email remains a widely used form of online communication.

Interacting with public authorities online is also becoming increasingly popular, with 70% of EU internet users doing so in 2024. This shift towards digital governance is likely to continue in the future.

Online shopping is another area where EU internet users are making the most of their connectivity, with 72% ordering or buying services or goods online in 2024.

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