The Netherlands European leader in digital skills
The Netherlands | 27 | 52 |
---|---|---|
Finland | 31 | 48 |
Ireland | 31 | 40 |
Denmark | 31 | 37 |
Sweden | 31 | 36 |
Luxembourg | 32 | 32 |
Spain | 26 | 38 |
Austria | 30 | 33 |
Croatia | 32 | 31 |
France | 32 | 31 |
Malta | 26 | 35 |
Czech | 36 | 24 |
Estonia | 29 | 28 |
Portugal | 27 | 29 |
Slovakia | 34 | 21 |
Belgium | 28 | 26 |
EU-27 | 27 | 26 |
Greece | 31 | 22 |
Latvia | 27 | 24 |
saartje | 30 | 20 |
Cyprus | 29 | 21 |
Hungary | 28 | 22 |
Germany | 30 | 19 |
However | 26 | 23 |
Italy | 23 | 23 |
Poland | 22 | 21 |
Bulgaria | 23 | 8 |
Romania | 19 | 9 |
Source: CBS, Eurostat |
Digital skills are determined by the number of activities in five areas: information and digital literacy, online communication, computers and online services, privacy protection and software use. Someone has basic digital skills if he/she does at least one activity in the areas of information and communication and one of two in the other areas.
A person has more than basic digital skills if two of more activities are carried out in the areas and communication and three of more in the areas.
The Netherlands and Finland in the lead with minimal basic skills
Together with Finland, the Netherlands has the largest share of inhabitants with minimal basic skills, almost 80 percent. The Netherlands has already achieved the European goal of digitization in 2030: by that year, 80 percent of the EU population must have ten basic digital skills. With 52 percent, our country is even a frontrunner with more than basic skills (Finland; 48 percent).
Bulgaria and Romania have the lowest amounts with minimum basic skills, at 31 and 28 percent. Poland and Italy also score lower on this point than the EU average (43 and 46 percent).
Most communication skills
In the area of online communication, the proportion of Dutch people with more than basic skills in 2021 was greater (93 percent) than in other areas. This involves e-mailing via the Internet, social networks and expressing opinions online about social or political issues.
Also in the areas of information and digital literacy, 89 percent and 83 percent of the Dutch had skills that exceeded the basic level.
The EU average was 68 percent for information and digital literacy and 53 percent for computers and online services.
Online communication |
93 | 77 |
---|---|---|
Information and digital literacy |
89 | 68 |
computers and online services |
83 | 53 |
Privacy protection |
72 | 44 |
Software usage |
65 | 45 |
Source: CBS, Eurostat |
Dutch less skilled with software use
Privacy protection and software use are somewhat more difficult areas for many Dutch and Europeans. In the field of privacy protection, 72 percent of the Dutch have more than basic skills; 65 percent in the area of software use. The EU average was 44 and 45 percent.
The software usage area includes the use of word processing programs and spreadsheets. Writing computer programs in a programming language is also calculated.
Major differences between age groups
What people can do with the internet and computers varies according to age and education. For example, the percentage of Dutch people with more than basic skills among 25- to 45-year-olds is more than twice as high as among 65- to 75-year-olds. Of the 25- to 45-year-olds, 64 percent had more than basic skills. This share was 28 percent among 65- to 75-year-olds.
Of the highly educated, 70 percent had digital skills above the basic level. This share is more than twice as high as among the low-skilled (31 percent). Half of the people with a secondary education had more than basic skills. The differences in digital skills between men and women are smaller. The proportion of men with more than basic skills reached 56 percent, compared to 47 percent among women.
age | |
---|---|
16 to 25 years | 58 |
25 to 35 years | 64 |
35 to 45 years | 63 |
45 to 55 years | 55 |
55 to 65 years | 43 |
65 to 75 years | 28 |
educational attainment | |
High | 70 |
secondary | 50 |
Low | 31 |
Sex | |
Men | 56 |
Women | 47 |
Source: CBS, Eurostat |