A new report from the EU’s Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) reveals that fewer than 60% of Europeans have even basic digital skills, while under 30% possess above-basic abilities — a worrying gap as the bloc accelerates toward a digital future.
The situation is even more concerning among older citizens aged 55–74, where fewer than 40% have basic digital literacy and less than 15% have advanced skills. Experts warn this lack of competency hinders Europe’s digital transformation, slows public sector modernization, and leaves many citizens vulnerable to cyber fraud and scams.
Hungary, Czechia, and Estonia Lead in Basic Digital Skills
Over the past five years, some EU countries have shown notable improvement. Hungary recorded the highest growth in basic digital skills (+9.8%), followed by Czechia (+9.4%), Estonia (+6.2%), and Belgium (+5.1%).
However, progress across the bloc remains uneven. The EU average increased by only 1.6%, while some countries — including Latvia, Croatia, and Slovakia — actually saw declines.
Top performers such as Finland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, and Sweden have maintained their lead since 2022, leaving limited room for further gains.
Advanced Skills Still Lag Behind
When it comes to above-basic digital skills, only the Netherlands and Finland score above 50%, while the EU average sits below 30%. Bulgaria and Romania remain at the bottom, with less than 10% of citizens demonstrating advanced abilities.
Czechia once again stands out for progress, with an 11.4% increase, followed by Estonia (+7.1%), Hungary (+6.6%), and Finland (+5.5%). Yet overall, the EU’s average growth was under 1%, and some nations — notably Latvia, Croatia, and Luxembourg — regressed.
Older Europeans Left Behind
Among Europeans aged 55–74, digital literacy remains especially low. While nearly 70% of people in the Netherlands and 60% in Finland have at least basic skills, fewer than 20% in Poland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Romania can say the same.
Belgium leads in improving seniors’ basic skills (+10.5%), followed by Czechia (+9.6%) and Hungary (+9.3%), but the EU average rose by just 2.4%.
Advanced digital skills among older adults are even rarer — fewer than 15% of Europeans in this age group have them. Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Poland have shown some progress, while others like Bulgaria and Italy have fallen behind.
The EU’s 2030 Target at Risk
The European Commission admits that, at the current pace, the EU will reach only 60% of citizens with basic digital skills by 2030, far below its 80% goal.
To accelerate progress, the EU has introduced several initiatives: the Skills Package (adopted in March 2025), a Union of Skills and Action Plan on Basic Skills, and a 2030 Roadmap for digital education. Member States have already pledged over €24 billion for digital upskilling projects.
The plan emphasizes expanding digital education, lifelong learning, and Digital Skills Academies — especially targeting underrepresented groups.
Learning from Digital Leaders
Experts suggest other nations should follow the example of high achievers like the Netherlands, Finland, and Estonia. These countries have focused on early digital education, large-scale training programs, and strong user experiences.
For instance, Estonia’s “AI Leap 2025” program partners with tech firms to train 20,000 students and 3,000 teachers annually, with plans to expand further in 2026.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands is refocusing on AI talent development and supporting small businesses through digital training grants, while Finland’s joint platform Opin.fi offers lifelong learning opportunities across 37 universities.
Europe’s digital divide remains stark — but with targeted investment, stronger education, and lessons from digital pioneers, the EU hopes to close the gap before the decade’s end.
