Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union.

G4

2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

The composite indicator was developed in cooperation with data users in the European Commission (DG CNECT) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), based on the Digital Competence Framework. Digital Skills Indicator is one of key performance indicators in the context of the Digital Decade, which sets out Europe's ambition on digital, laying out a vision for the digital transformation and concrete targets for 2030 in the four cardinal points: skills, infrastructures, digital transformation of businesses and public services. The 2030 target of the Digital Compass is that at least 80% of citizens (identified as the share of individuals aged 16-74) have at least basic digital skills. The new Digital Skills composite indicator is also used in the construction of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which is an annual report published by the European Commission that monitors the progress of EU Member States' on digital. This report includes country profiles, which help Member States identify areas for priority action, and thematic chapters providing an EU-level analysis in the four principal policy areas.

It also monitors the implementation of the European Skills Agenda, which provides that the share of adults aged 16-74 having at least basic digital skills should reach 70% by 2025.

Finally, the DSI supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The indicator is useful to describe general digital literacy and skills in using the internet over time. Aspects of accuracy, reliability, timeliness and comparability for the general population are satisfactorily covered. The revised indicator is the result of work, which was carried out in 2019-2022 in order to modernize the first DSI indicator and to adapt it the revised conceptual framework and technological progress.

See data availability for table Individuals' level of digital skills.

The Digital Skills Indicator 2.0 (DSI) is a composite indicator which is based on selected activities related to internet or software use that individuals aged 16-74 perform in five specific areas (Information and data literacy, Communication and collaboration, Digital content creation, Safety, and Problem solving). It is assumed that individuals having performed certain activities have the corresponding skills. Therefore, the indicators can be considered as proxy of individuals’ digital skills.

According to the variety of activities performed, two levels of skills are computed for each of the five areas ("basic" and "above basic"). Finally, based on the component indicators for each area, an overall digital skills indicator is calculated as a proxy of the digital skills of individuals ("no skills", "limited", "narrow", "low", "basic", "above basic" or "at least basic skills").

1. Information and data literacy skills

Definition in Digital Competence Framework 2.0:  To articulate information needs, to locate and retrieve digital data, information and content. To judge the relevance of the source and its content. To store, manage, organize digital data, information and content.

Activities used for calculating the information and data literacy skills:

• Finding information about goods or services (IUIF);
• Seeking health-related information (IHIF);
• Reading online news sites, newspapers or news magazines (IUNW1);
• Activities related to fact-checking online information and its sources (TICCSFOI, TICIDIS, TICNIDIS, TICXND).

 Levels of information skills

• Basic: one activity (I_DSK2_IL_B);
• Above basic: more than one activity (I_DSK2_IL_AB);
• At least basic: basic or above basic skills (I_DSK2_IL_BAB).

2. Communication and collaboration skills

Definition in Digital Competence Framework 2.0: To interact, communicate and collaborate through digital technologies while being aware of cultural and generational diversity. To participate in society through public and private digital services and participatory citizenship. To manage one’s digital identity and reputation.

Activities used for calculating the communication and collaboration skills:

• Sending/receiving emails (IUEM);
• Telephoning/video calls over the internet (IUPH1);
• Instant messaging (IUCHAT1);
• Participating in social networks (IUSNET);
• Expressing opinions on civic or political issues on websites or in social media (IUPOL2);
• Taking part in online consultations or voting to define civic or political issues (IUVOTE).

Levels of communication and collaboration skills

• Basic: one activity (I_DSK2_CC_B);
• Above basic: more than one activity (I_DSK2_CC_AB);
• At least basic: basic or above basic skills (I_DSK2_CC_BAB).

3. Digital content creation skills

Definition in Digital Competence Framework 2.0: To create and edit digital content. To improve and integrate information and content into an existing body of knowledge while understanding how copyright and licences are to be applied. To know how to give understandable instructions for a computer system.

Activities used for calculating the digital content creation skills:

• Using word processing software (CWRD1);
• Using spreadsheet software (CXLS1);
• Editing photos, video or audio files (CEPVA1);
• Copying or moving files (such as documents, data, images, video) between folders, devices (via e-mail, instant messaging, USB, cable) or on the cloud (CXFER1);
• Creating files (such as documents, image, videos) incorporating several elements such as text, picture, table, chart, animation or sound (CPRES2);
• Using advanced features of spreadsheet software (functions, formulas, macros and other developer functions) to organize, analyse, structure or modify data (CXLSADV1);
• Writing code in a programming language (CPRG2).

Levels of digital content creation skills

• Basic: one or two activities (I_DSK2_DCC_B);
• Above basic: 3 or more activities (I_DSK2_DCC_AB);
• At least basic: basic or above basic skills (I_DSK2_DCC_BAB).

4. Safety skills

Definition in Digital Competence Framework 2.0: To protect devices, content, personal data and privacy in digital environments. To protect physical and psychological health, and to be aware of digital technologies for social well-being and social inclusion. To be aware of the environmental impact of digital technologies and their use.

Activities used for calculating the safety:

• Managing access to own personal data by checking that the website where the respondent provided personal data was secure (MAPS_CWSC);
• Managing access to own personal data by reading privacy statements before providing personal data (MAPS_RPS);
• Managing access to own personal data by restricting or refusing access to own geographical location (MAPS_RRGL);
• Managing access to own personal data by limiting access to profile or content on social networking sites or shared online storage (MAPS_LAP);
• Managing access to own personal data by refusing allowing use of personal data for advertising purposes (MAPS_RAAD);
• Changing settings in own internet browser to prevent or limit cookies on any of the respondent devices (PCOOK1).

Levels of digital content creation skills

• Basic: one or two activities (I_DSK2_SF_B);
• Above basic: 3 or more activities (I_DSK2_SF_AB);
• At least basic: basic or above basic skills (I_DSK2_SF_BAB).

5. Problem solving skills

Definition in Digital Competence Framework 2.0: To identify needs and problems, and to resolve conceptual problems and problem situations in digital environments. To use digital tools to innovate processes and products. To keep up-to-date with the digital evolution.

Activities used for calculating the problem solving skills:

• Downloading or installing software or apps (CINSAPP1);
• Changing settings of software, app or device (CCONF1);
• Online purchases (in the last 12 months) (IBUY=1 or IBUY=2);
• Selling online (IUSELL);
• Used online learning resources (IUOLC or IUOLM);
• Internet banking (IUBK);
• Looking for a job or sending a job application (IUJOB).

Levels of problem solving skills

• Basic: one or two activities (I_DSK2_PS_B);
• Above basic: 3 or more activities (I_DSK2_PS_AB);
• At least basic: basic or above basic skills (I_DSK2_PS_BAB).

OVERALL DIGITAL SKILL INDICATOR

• Individuals with “above basic” (I_DSK2_AB) level of skills:

“above basic” in all 5 areas.

• Individuals with a “basic” (I_DSK2_B) level of skills:

if all 5 areas are at least basic level (some can be “basic” and some can be “above basic”, but not all 5 areas are “above basic”).

•  Individuals with “at least basic” level of skills:

if individuals fall either into “above basic” or “basic” category of skills (I_DSK2_BAB).

•  Individuals with “low” (I_DSK2_LW) level of skills:

if individuals have “basic” or “above basic” level in 4 areas and “no skills” in 1 area (4 out of 5).

•  Individuals with “narrow” (I_DSK2_N) level of skills:

if individuals have “basic” or “above basic” level in 3 areas and “no skills” in 2 areas (3 out of 5).

•  Individuals with “limited” (I_DSK2_LM) level of skills:

if individuals have “basic” or “above basic” level in 2 areas and “no skills” in 3 areas (2 out of 5).

•  Individuals with “no skills” (I_DSK2_X):

if individuals have “no skills” in 4 areas or “no skills” in all 5 areas despite declaring having used the internet at least once during last 3 months.

• Individuals for whom the digital skills could not be assessed (I_DSK2_NA):

individuals that have not used the internet in the last 3 months.

(For formula and references to original variables collected by the survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals, please see Eurostat Methodological Manual).

As of 2021, the dataset encompasses an additional indicator (not included in DESI):

Online Information and Communication Skills

The dataset encompasses individuals who performed some activities from both INFORMATION AND DATA LITERACY and COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION areas (at “basic” or “above basic” level)

Individuals with online information and communication skills (I_DSK2_IC_S):

1. At least one variable from the following list:

• Finding information about goods or services (IUIF);
• Seeking health-related information (IHIF);
• Reading online news sites, newspapers or news magazines (IUNW1);
• Activities related to fact-checking online information and its sources (TICCSFOI, TICIDIS, TICNIDIS, TICXND).

AND

2. At least one variable from the following list:

• Sending/receiving emails (IUEM);
• Telephoning/video calls over the internet (IUPH1);
• Instant messaging (IUCHAT1);
• Participating in social networks (IUSNET);
• Expressing opinions on civic or political issues on websites or in social media (IUPOL2);
• Taking part in online consultations or voting to define civic or political issues (IUVOTE).

AND individuals have “no skills” in 3 remaining areas (Digital content creation, Safety, and Problem solving)

For a worked example of how the DSI is computed, see here.

% of the total number of individuals aged 16 to 74.

Three months prior to the survey for most of the variables included in the indicator.

In most countries, the target population of individuals aged 16 to 74 represents approximately 75% of the total population.

The level of precision is mostly in line with the one defined in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 for the use of ICT domain.

For most EU countries, the final or net sample size was between 3000 and 6000 elements.

ESS (ICT survey)

Data source: ESS: EU survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals.

Data provider: Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, based on data reported by the countries.

Every 2 years

Data were collected in the second quarter in most countries. Eurostat usually releases the results at the end of the fourth quarter of each year.

All EU MS

EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Candidate countries and potential Candidate countries.

All EU MS

The individuals' level of internet skills in each Member State and other participating countries is comparable across countries. The reference methodology used for the ICT usage in households and by individuals has been compiled by Eurostat. This methodology is available for each year and is described in a Methodological Manual. Eurostat provides model questionnaires on which countries can base their surveys. Surveys are conducted by the National Statistical Institutes or responsible Ministries of participating countries.

However, there are great differences among National Statistical Institutes as regards sampling design. Some countries use a sample based on individuals as primary sampling units. For other countries the primary sampling units are represented by households registered in the public register and in general the second sampling units are all the actual components belonging to each household included in the sample.

< 5 years

See data availability in Eurobase table ISOC_SK_DSKL_I21.

< 3 data points

1 data point

The DSI methodology has been changed substantially in 2021, to reflect the Digital Competence Framework 2.0. As a consequence, 2021 is the beginning of a new time series.

See dedicated section on Digital economy and society, Publications

 See Eurobase table ISOC_SK_DSKL_I21.

Not applicable.