Digital society statistics at regional level

Data extracted in March 2025.

Planned article update: September 2026.

Highlights

In 2024, almost 2 in 3 of the EU population aged 16 to 74 years participated online in social networks; the Danish region of Nordjylland had the highest regional share, at 91.5%.

In 2024, 60.2% of the EU population aged 16 to 74 years ordered goods or services over the internet for private use; the Dutch regions of Utrecht and Flevoland had the highest regional shares, at 91.5% and 89.5%, respectively.

Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iuse_i) and (isoc_ci_ac_i)

People use information and communication technologies (ICTs) for work, study, news, communication, entertainment, online transactions and interacting with public services. ICT innovations also create new business opportunities. To take full advantage of these technologies, fast and reliable internet access is essential.

Europe’s Digital Decade policy has 12 key targets for 2030, among which:

at least 80% of people aged 16 to 74 years should have at least basic digital skills
at least 75% of EU enterprises should use cloud computing, data analytics, or artificial intelligence in their business operations.

To support these goals, the Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065) regulates online platforms to prevent illegal activities and misinformation, while protecting user rights. Meanwhile, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) manages AI risks and promotes trust in AI systems.

More about the data: survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals

Household surveys collect data on ICT usage and are usually conducted during the 2nd quarter of each year, although the precise date can vary between EU countries. In general, the data presented below usually refer to the 1st quarter of the reference year; they concern activities carried out by people during the 3 months prior to the survey.

Most of the ICT statistics presented below cover people aged 16 to 74 years, although the 1st section covers household internet access and the final section covers workplace use of the internet and enterprise use of artificial intelligence.

Data are generally presented for NUTS level 2 regions. Exceptions include Germany, Greece and Türkiye (where the data refer to level 1 regions), as well as Croatia, Norway and Albania (where national data are usually presented).

When making comparisons over time – Figures 1 to 4 compare the situation in 2024 with that in 2019; note, there are breaks in series for the EU, Germany and Ireland in 2021.

The infographic above shows that in 2024 nearly 2 in 3 people aged 16 to 74 years in the EU used social networks. Among NUTS level 2 regions, all 5 Danish regions had participation rates within the range of 88.9% to 91.5%, higher than in any other region of the EU. The northern Danish region of Nordjylland and the capital region of Hovedstaden had the highest rates, both exceeding 90.0%. Outside of Denmark, the next highest shares were recorded in Cyprus (86.8%), the Finnish capital region of Helsinki-Uusimaa (84.1%), the Dutch region of Flevoland (83.0%) and the western Hungarian regions of Dél-Dunántúl (82.8%) and Nyugat-Dunántúl (82.6%).

Households with access to the internet

Internet access comes in a variety of forms:

broadband access includes cable and fibre-optic connections that deliver high-speed internet through traditional infrastructure
wireless access includes options like Wi-Fi and mobile broadband that are generally accessed via routers or cellular networks
satellite internet reaches remote areas and offers connectivity when other technological options are limited.

In 2024, every household had access to the internet at home in the Dutch regions of Flevoland, Groningen and Zeeland

Within this section, connection to the internet (or ‘access’) does not refer to ‘connectability’ (can a connection be provided in the household’s street or local area), but rather to ‘connectivity’, in other words, whether anyone in the household is able to use the internet at home if so desired. In 2024, the share of EU households connected to the internet at home was 94.2%.

Map 1 shows the regional distribution of household access to the internet. These data are crucial for understanding the remainder of the information presented within this chapter, as restricted internet access reduces the share of people who can go online and engage in specific internet activities.

In 2024, there were 19 NUTS level 2 regions across the EU where at least 98.0% of households had access to the internet at home (as shown by the darkest shade in Map 1). This group included:

all 12 regions in the Netherlands
the capital regions of Spain, Luxembourg and Hungary
an additional Spanish region – Ciudad de Ceuta
Podkarpackie in Poland
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi in Finland, and
Mellersta Norrland in Sweden.

In 2024, the 7 regions in the EU with the highest proportions of households having access to the internet at home were all located in the Netherlands: Flevoland, Groningen and Zeeland (all 100.0%), Utrecht (99.8%), Gelderland (99.2%), Noord-Brabant (99.0%) and the capital region of Noord-Holland (98.9%).

By contrast, there were 23 regions across the EU where fewer than 9 out of 10 households had access to the internet at home in 2024 (as shown by the lightest shade in Map 1). These 23 regions were spread across several EU countries: 4 from each of (southern) Italy and Portugal, 3 each in Bulgaria and Germany, 2 each in Greece, France and Slovakia, as well as Croatia and single regions from Belgium and Lithuania. The central Greek region of Kentriki Elláda (80.5%) and the southern Italian region of Calabria (84.7%) were the only regions to report less than 85.0% of all households having access to the internet at home.

As well as showing the regions that had the highest and lowest shares of households with access to the internet in 2024, Figure 1 also provides information about the regions that experienced the biggest and smallest changes compared with 2019. The proportion of EU households connected to the internet had been 89.7% in 2019. This share rose 4.5 percentage points – during the most recent 5-year period for which data are available – to reach 94.2% by 2024.

Between 2019 and 2024, the Greek region of Nisia Aigaiou, Kriti recorded the largest increase in household internet access at home, its share rising 23.0 percentage points to 91.7%. There were also substantial gains in:

3 Bulgarian regions – Severen tsentralen, Severozapaden and Yugozapaden – as their internet access rates increased 17.7 to 19.7 points
4 additional regions – La Réunion (France), Severozápad (Czechia) and 2 more Bulgarian regions, Yuzhen tsentralen and Severoiztochen – where the share rose by more than 15.0 points.

During the period 2019 and 2024, there were 25 regions across the EU that reported a fall in their share of households with internet access at home. The biggest declines were in 4 German regions – Niedersachsen, Thüringen, Sachsen-Anhalt and Bremen – with reductions of at least 4.6 percentage points. Bremen, in northern Germany, recorded the sharpest decline, as its share of households with internet access at home fell 9.2 points.

Map 1: Households with access to the internet at home
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iacc_h) and (isoc_ci_in_h)

Figure 1: Households with access to the internet at home
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iacc_h) and (isoc_ci_in_h)

Daily internet users

Internet users are defined as people aged 16 to 74 years using the internet at home, at work, or elsewhere, for private or professional purposes, and regardless of the device or the type of connection used.

In 2024, almost 9 out of every 10 people aged 16 to 74 years in the EU made use of the internet on a daily basis

In 2024, 88.3% of people aged 16 to 74 years in the EU reported using the internet on a daily basis during the 3 months preceding the ICT survey. This share was 2.4 percentage points higher than in 2023, and 11.4 points higher than in 2019. The last few years have been characterised by slower growth in the share of people using the internet on a daily basis, as this indicator approaches saturation for many groups in society (particularly among younger generations).

In 2024, more than 3 out of 4 people used the internet on a daily basis in every region of the EU, except for Yuzhen tsentralen (Bulgaria), Podlaskie (Poland) and Kentriki Elláda (Greece)

Map 2 shows the share of people making daily use of the internet within each NUTS level 2 region. In 2024, there were clear disparities along broad geographical lines: northern and western regions generally recorded higher levels of daily internet use than southern or eastern regions. There were 105 regions where the share of people using the internet daily was above the EU average of 88.3%, while a slightly lower number (102 regions) had a share that was below; Extremadura (Spain) had the same value as the EU average.

In 2024, several regions across the Netherlands ranked among those with the highest concentrations of daily internet users. In fact, the Netherlands accounted for 8 out of the 10 EU regions with the highest shares, with Zeeland recording a peak of 99.3%. Outside of the Netherlands, 2 Irish regions – Eastern and Midland, and Northern and Western – were the only other regions in the EU where the share of daily internet users exceeded 98.0%.

There were 17 EU regions where less than 80.0% of people used the internet on a daily basis in 2024 (they are shown by the lightest shade in Map 2). This group included 6 regions from Poland, 4 regions from Bulgaria, 2 (outermost) regions of France, 2 regions from (southern) Italy, as well as a single region from each of Germany, Greece and Austria. The lowest shares were in:

the southern Bulgarian region of Yuzhen tsentralen (73.0%)
the north eastern Polish region of Podlaskie (73.6%)
the central Greek region of Kentriki Elláda (74.9%).

As well as showing the regions with the highest and lowest shares of daily internet users in 2024, Figure 2 also presents information about the overall change in the share of daily internet users between 2019 and 2024.

Daily internet usage in the Nord-Est region of Romania increased 33.9 percentage points between 2019 and 2024, reaching 83.3%. There were 9 other EU regions with increases above 25.0 points, including 7 more from Romania, as well as La Réunion (France) and Nisia Aigaiou, Kriti (Greece).
Conversely, there were 7 regions across the EU where the share of daily internet users fell between 2019 and 2024. They were located exclusively in Germany (4 regions) and Finland (3 regions), with the Finnish capital region of Helsinki-Uusimaa recording the largest fall (down 5.2 points).

Map 2: Daily internet users
(% of people aged 16–74 years, by NUTS 2 regions, 2024)
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iuse_i) and (isoc_ci_ifp_fu)

Figure 2: Daily internet users
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iuse_i) and (isoc_ci_ifp_fu)

Activities on the internet

The widespread adoption of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets has significantly increased people’s use of the internet, while the variety of activities carried out online has also expanded rapidly. Some of the most popular activities on the internet include:

learning and skills development
remote work
accessing information
entertainment
staying connected with family and friends
engaging with government services
online shopping (e-commerce).

Participation in social networks

Social networks are online platforms that enable individuals to connect, interact and share content with others. Some of the most popular networks include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat or X (formerly Twitter). These platforms typically allow users to create personal profiles, share photos and videos, and communicate with others through messaging, comments or other forms of interaction.

Almost 2 out of 3 people across the EU used social networks in 2024

In 2017, 51.8% of the EU’s population aged 16 to 74 years used social networks during the 3 months preceding the ICT survey; this was the 1st time that a majority of people in the EU used social networks. Despite a small fall in 2021, the share of people using social networks generally rose at a steady pace across the EU, reaching 64.8% by 2024.

Social networks are among the most popular activities on the internet for young people (defined here as those aged 16 to 24 years). In 2024, the share of young people using social networks was 2.9 times as high as the share recorded for older people (defined here as those aged 65 to 74 years). Looking in more detail at recent developments, the proportion of young people using social networks across the EU fell from 87.0% in 2018 to a relative low of 83.4% by 2023 (note there is a break in series in 2021). There was a sharp rebound in 2024, with the share of young people participating in social networks reaching a new peak of 88.6%. During the same period, the proportion of older people using social networks increased every year, up from 16.9% in 2018 to 30.3% by 2024.

In 2024, around 9 out of 10 people across every region of Denmark used social networks

Among NUTS level 2 regions, the proportion of people using social networks was evenly distributed around the EU average. In 2024, there were 105 regions that had shares above the EU average and 102 regions with shares below; the Spanish island region of Canarias had a share that was identical to the EU average. Contrary to the situation for most ICT indicators, there were also relatively high shares recorded in several eastern and southern EU countries. Some of the highest shares of people using social networks were concentrated in regions across Denmark, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Hungary.

Map 3 shows the regional distribution of people aged 16 to 74 years using social networks. In 2024, there were 20 NUTS level 2 regions across the EU where at least 80.0% of people used social networks (as shown by the darkest shade of blue). The 5 regions that compose Denmark recorded the highest shares in the EU – within the range of 88.9% to 91.5% – with a peak of 91.5% in Nordjylland. The rest of this group of 20 consisted of:

Cyprus
the Finnish capital region of Helsinki-Uusimaa
5 regions from the Netherlands
7 out of the 8 regions in Hungary (Dél-Alföld was the exception)
Nord-Vest in Romania.

At the other end of the distribution, 26 regions across the EU reported that less than half of the population aged 16 to 74 years used social networks in 2024 (they are shown by the 2 lightest shades in Map 3). Among these 26 regions, 22 were located in France (2023 data). The others included Sachsen, Thüringen and Brandenburg in eastern Germany, along with Calabria in southern Italy. There were 5 French regions recording the lowest shares, all below 40.0%: Haute-Normandie (38.5%), Bretagne (38.5%), Guadeloupe (30.0%), Martinique (29.2%) and Guyane (22.2%).

Map 3: Participation in social networks
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iuse_i) and (isoc_ci_ac_i)

Internet banking

In recent years, the EU’s banking sector has seen significant growth in online services. Consumers now visit their local branch less frequently or not at all, the number of branches has contracted, and online transfers and e-payments have become the norm. Internet banking reduces the demand for local branches and their related costs. Furthermore, it may often greater convenience, allowing banking transactions and other banking activities to be carried out at any time of day and from almost anywhere. However, while internet banking has numerous benefits, it also presents challenges, such as:

accessibility issues
security and privacy concerns
technical disruptions to services.

Across the EU, more than 2 out of 3 people made use of internet banking in 2024

In 2024, 67.2% of the EU’s population aged 16 to 74 years used the internet for banking during the 3 months preceding the ICT survey. Map 4 shows the share of people using internet banking across NUTS level 2 regions. Over 90.0% of people in every region of Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland used internet banking. In Belgium, Czechia, Ireland, Sweden and the Baltic countries a majority of regions also recorded relatively high shares (at least 80.0%); this was also the case in Cyprus.

In 2024, the Dutch region of Utrecht had the highest regional share of people using internet banking

A more detailed investigation of the latest information shown in Map 4 reveals that there were 3 NUTS level 2 regions where the proportion of people using internet banking was at least 98.0%, namely:

the central Dutch region of Utrecht (98.3%)
the Danish capital region of Hovedstaden (98.2%)
the northern Dutch region of Groningen (98.0%).

The share of people making use of internet banking was often unusually high in capital regions, compared with their neighbouring regions. In 2024, this situation was particularly noticeable in Praha (Czechia), Comunidad de Madrid (Spain), Budapest (Hungary) and Warszawski stołeczny (Poland).

In 2024, the lowest shares of people using internet banking were recorded in Bulgaria, Romania and southern Italy

In 2024, several eastern and southern regions of the EU had relatively low shares of people using internet banking; this was particularly the case in Bulgaria, Romania, and – to a somewhat lesser degree – southern Italy. This pattern might be attributed to a range of different factors, including:

many of these regions are predominantly rural, characterised by low levels of internet connectivity and digital literacy
many of these regions have relatively elderly population structures, with people preferring traditional cash transactions and having security concerns about online banking.

At the lower end of the distribution, the lowest use of internet banking in 2024 was recorded in: Sud-Vest Oltenia (17.6%) in Romania, Yuzhen tsentralen (18.4%) and Severozapaden (19.3%) in Bulgaria. Less than half of all people aged 16 to 74 years made use of internet banking in every region of Bulgaria and Romania. This was also the case in several other regions across the EU:

the southern Italian regions of Puglia, Molise, Basilicata, Sicilia, Campania and Calabria
the Polish regions of Małopolskie, Podlaskie, Opolskie, Mazowiecki regionalny, Świętokrzyskie, Lubuskie and Warmińsko-mazurskie
the Greek regions of Kentriki Elláda and Nisia Aigaiou, Kriti
the French outermost region of Guyane.

There were 10 regions in the EU where the share of people using internet banking fell between 2019 and 2024

The share of people using internet banking rose across the EU during a 5-year period from 2019 to 2024, up from 54.6% to 67.2%. The proportion of people using internet banking increased in the vast majority of EU regions (178 out of 188), often a relatively fast pace. There were 115 regions where the share rose by at least 10.0 percentage points, with 43 of these reporting growth of at least 20.0 percentage points.

In Cyprus, the share of people using internet banking doubled, rising from 40.5% in 2019 to 80.5% in 2024. This was the largest increase among EU regions (see Figure 4). Yugozapaden in Bulgaria (up 33.6 percentage points) and Northern and Western in Ireland (up 30.0 points) also recorded rapid growth. By contrast, at the lower end of the distribution, there were 10 EU regions where the share of people using online banking fell between 2019 and 2024. They were principally located across Germany and Sweden, with Ciudad de Ceuta in Spain (-19.2%), Övre Norrland in Sweden (-10.7%) and Corse in France (-9.5%) experiencing the largest reductions.

Map 4: Use of internet banking
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iuse_i) and (isoc_ci_ac_i)

Figure 3: Use of internet banking
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_iuse_i) and (isoc_ci_ac_i)

E-commerce

More about the data: defining e-commerce

For statistical purposes, e-commerce is defined as ‘buying goods or services through electronic transactions, including the placing of orders for goods or services over the internet; payment and the ultimate delivery of the goods or service may be conducted either online or offline. Orders via manually typed e-mails are excluded’.

E-commerce has the potential to simplify the process of comparing different wholesale or retail offers. It can reshape distribution networks and consumption patterns, expanding consumer choice and influencing price competition, especially in relatively remote regions of the EU. Additionally, e-commerce removes the time burden of travelling to physical stores and disconnects shopping from traditional opening hours.

In 2024, 60.2% of people aged 16 to 74 years in the EU reported that they had ordered goods or services over the internet in the 3 months preceding the ICT survey. The share of people using the internet to order goods or services was higher than the EU average in every region of Czechia, Denmark, Ireland, France (except the outermost regions), the Netherlands, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden; this was also the case in Estonia, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta. By contrast, the share of the population using e-commerce was below the EU average for every region of Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia; this was also the case in Croatia (national data) and Latvia.

In Utrecht, more than 9 out of 10 people ordered goods or services over the internet in 2024

In 2024, there were 23 EU regions where at least 80.0% of the population aged 16 to 74 years ordered goods or services over the internet in the 3 months preceding the ICT survey (as shown by the darkest shade in Map 5).

Approximately half of these 23 regions with a high propensity to make use of e-commerce were located in the Netherlands (all 12 regions).
The remainder were spread across Denmark (4 regions), Ireland (all 3 regions), Sweden (3 regions) and the Czech capital region of Praha.

At the top end of the distribution, the central Dutch region of Utrecht had the highest share of people ordering goods or services over the internet (91.5% in 2024). Its neighbouring region of Flevoland (89.5%) had the next highest share, followed by the Irish region of Northern and Western (88.3%).

In 2024, there were 21 EU regions where less than 40.0% of the population ordered goods or services over the internet (as shown by the lightest shade in Map 5). These regions were primarily located in eastern and southern regions of the EU, including Romania (6 regions), Bulgaria (5 regions) and southern Italy (6 regions). This group also included 3 outermost regions of France and 1 autonomous region of Portugal, where geographical isolation likely impacted the use of e-commerce.

At the bottom end of the distribution in 2024, the south-eastern Bulgarian region of Yugoiztochen had the lowest share of people ordering goods and services over the internet (21.7%). There were 2 other regions in the EU with shares below 25.0%: the Caribbean region of Guadeloupe (24.2%) and the north-western Bulgarian region of Severozapaden (24.9%).

In the Czech region of Severozápad, the proportion of people ordering goods or services over the internet increased most between 2019 and 2024

As well as showing those regions that had the highest and lowest shares of people ordering goods and services over the internet in 2024, Figure 4 also provides information about those regions that experienced the biggest and smallest changes compared with 2019. Across the EU, the proportion of people making use of e-commerce increased by 11.2 percentage points, rising from 49.0% in 2019 to 60.2% by 2024.

Between 2019 and 2024, the north-western Czech region of Severozápad recorded the largest increase in its proportion of people ordering goods or services over the internet, with its share rising 40.1 percentage points (from 33.8% to 73.9%). Substantial gains were also registered in:

the Irish region of Northern and Western, where the use of e-commerce increased 38.7 points
2 additional regions in Czechia – Moravskoslezsko and Střední Čechy – where the use of e-commerce increased 37.9 points and 35.5 points, respectively.

During the same period, there were 15 regions across the EU where the proportion of people ordering goods or services over the internet fell between 2019 and 2024. The biggest declines occurred in the German regions of Bayern, Sachsen-Anhalt and Bremen; these were the only regions in the EU to report decreases of more than 10.0 percentage points, with the sharpest decline in Bayern, down 12.9 points.

Map 5: Ordering goods or services over the internet
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_blt12_i) and (isoc_ec_ib20)</noprint>

Figure 4: Ordering goods or services over the internet
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_blt12_i), (isoc_ec_ib20) and (isoc_ec_ibuy)

ICT usage in enterprises

More about the data: ICT usage in enterprises

The information presented in this section is based on results of an EU survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises.

The European Commission’s priorities for 2024 to 2029 focus on boosting productivity through digital technologies. This comprises, among others, investing in:

digital infrastructures
supercomputing, semiconductors, the Internet of Things and quantum computing
other strategic technologies (such as artificial intelligence, space, clean tech and biotech).

Regional ICT statistics are presented for NUTS level 2 regions. They cover enterprises with 10 or more people employed (employees and self-employed people) in NACE Sections C to N (excluding K) and Group 95.1, in other words, the non-financial business economy. Exceptions are Belgium (where the data refer to NUTS level 1 regions) and Czechia, Germany, Ireland, Greece, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Serbia and Türkiye (where national data are presented). Data for Romania relate to reference year 2023 (instead of 2024). Data for Albania relate to reference year 2022 (instead of 2024).

More than 3 out of 5 people employed in the EU’s non-financial business economy made workplace use of the internet in 2024

In 2024, some 62.9% of people employed in the EU’s non-financial business economy used the internet for business purposes. Map 6 shows that a relatively high proportion of the workforce in the Nordic EU countries and the Netherlands used the internet for business purposes. By contrast, eastern and southern EU regions tended to report relatively low shares of their workforces making workplace use of the internet. This pattern was repeated both for industry/construction and for services.

The distribution of internet use at work was relatively uneven across the EU. A total of 59 regions reported a share of their workforce using the internet for business purposes that was lower than the EU average in 2024, while only 25 regions had above-average shares. However, it should be noted that this imbalance is, at least in part, the result of only national data being available for some EU countries which have many regions: Germany, France and the Netherlands all had shares above the EU average and are each included as just 1 region in these counts; somewhat balancing the situation, the national shares for Italy and Poland were below the EU average. At the top end of the ranking, Sweden and Finland (both national data) were the only regions to report shares of more than 85.0%. More broadly, the share of employed people using the internet for business purposes was above 75% (as shown by the 2 darkest shades of blue in Map 6) in:

Sweden
Finland
the Danish regions of Midtjylland, Sjælland, Nordjylland, and Syddanmark
the Netherlands (also national data)
the Austrian capital region of Wien.

A lack of digital infrastructure and workplace connectivity may potentially affect – among other matters – remote working opportunities, productivity and competitiveness. Across the EU, there were 22 regions that reported less than half of their workforce used the internet for business purposes in 2024 (as shown by the 2 lightest shades in Map 6). This group was composed of regions from 4 different EU countries, namely:

Romania (7 out of 8 regions, the exception being the capital region of Bucureşti-Ilfov; 2023 data)
Bulgaria (5 out of 6 regions, the exception being the capital region of Yugozapaden)
Slovakia (3 out of 4 regions, the exception being the capital region of Bratislavský kraj)
Spain (7 out of 19 regions that were predominantly rural, islands or autonomous cities).

The southerly Romanian regions of Sud-Vest Oltenia and Sud-Est recorded the lowest shares of their workforces using the internet for business purposes, at 22.5% and 23.7%, respectively (2023 data).

Map 6: Internet use at work
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_ci_cm_pn2) and (isoc_ci_cm_pn2)

There were only 2 regions across the EU where more than 30.0% of enterprises made use of artificial intelligence in 2024: Midtjylland in Denmark and the Belgian capital region of Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest

More about the data: artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the ability of machines or computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. The statistics presented below concern enterprises making use of at least 1 of the following AI technologies:

performing analysis of written language
converting spoken language into machine-readable format
generating written or spoken language
identifying objects or persons based on images
using machine learning
automating different workflows or assisting in decision-making
enabling physical movement of machines via autonomous decisions based on observation of surroundings.

As with the previous section on workplace use of the internet, the statistics below cover all enterprises with 10 or more people employed in NACE Sections C to N (excluding K) and Group 95.1, in other words, the non-financial business economy.

In 2024, 13.5% of enterprises with 10 or more people employed in the EU’s non-financial business economy made use of AI when conducting their business. This share was growing at a rapid pace, with the latest annual increase equivalent to a gain of 5.5 percentage points (up from 8.0% in 2023).

The Danish region of Midtjylland (35.0%) and the Belgian capital region of Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (31.7%) had the highest shares of enterprises making use of at least 1 AI technology. Other regions with relatively high shares in 2024 included:

another Danish region, Sjælland (28.1%)
the Austrian and Slovenian capital regions of Wien (26.5%) and Zahodna Slovenija (23.6%)
Sweden (25.1%), Finland (24.4%) and the Netherlands (23.1%) – all national data
Vlaams Gewest in Belgium (24.8%; NUTS level 1)
Luxembourg (23.7 %).

The share of enterprises using AI technologies was particularly low in many of the same regions that were characterised by low levels of workplace use of the internet. This suggests that factors – such as the structural composition of regional economies or infrastructure gaps – may account for some of the differences observed. In 2024, the lowest enterprise adoption rates for AI were generally recorded in regions located across Bulgaria, Spain, Hungary, Romania (2023 data) and Poland. There were only 8 regions across the EU that had less than 2.5% of all enterprises making use of AI, including:

7 out of the 8 regions in Romania (the exception being the capital region of Bucureşti-Ilfov), with the lowest shares in Sud-Vest Oltenia (0.2%), Sud-Est (0.4%), Nord-Vest (0.8%) and Nord-Est (0.9%)
the Spanish autonomous region of Ciudad de Melilla (1.5%).

There were considerable inter-regional variations in the share of enterprises making use of AI. In 2024, the largest absolute differences were in:

Denmark, from a high of 35.0% in Midtjylland to a low of 18.8% in the neighbouring region of Nordjylland, a difference of 16.2 percentage points
Spain, from a high of 15.6% in Comunidad de Madrid to a low of 1.5% in Ciudad de Melilla, a difference of 14.1 percentage points
Austria, from a high of 26.5% in the capital region of Wien to a low of 12.7% for the easternmost region of Burgenland, a difference of 13.8 percentage points.

There were also considerable differences in relative terms, for example:

in Romania, the highest share in Bucureşti-Ilfov (3.6%) was 18 times as high as the lowest share in Sud-Vest Oltenia (0.2%).

Map 7: Enterprise use of the artificial intelligence
Source: Eurostat (isoc_r_eb_ain2) and (isoc_eb_anin2)

Source data for figures and maps

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Data sources

Rapid technological changes in areas related to the internet and other new applications of ICTs pose challenges for statistics. As such, statistical tools are adapted to satisfy new demands for data and the ICT survey is reassessed on an annual basis.

European ICT surveys provide timely statistics on individuals, households and enterprises relating to their use of ICTs. Many of these statistics are/were used in the benchmarking frameworks associated with the European Commission’s 6 priorities for the period 2019 to 2024: A Europe fit for the digital age and the EU’s Digital Decade targets for 2030 that are based on 4 points: skills, digital transformation of businesses, secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, and the digitalisation of public services.

ICT in households and by individuals

A majority of the data in this chapter are based on an annual survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals. The legal basis for the 2024 survey is Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households, based on data at individual level collected from samples. This framework is implemented through a series of annual regulations that specify the detailed information to be collected, making it possible for the survey to be tailored to technological developments so that policymakers can have access to data that measure the impact of new technologies and services. For 2024, the survey was implemented by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1484 and supplemented by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1797.

The population of households consists of all households having members in the age group of 16 to 74 years. The population of individuals consists of all people aged 16 to 74 years. Questions on access to ICTs are addressed to households, while questions on the use of ICTs are answered by individuals within a household. The information presented (and the underlying database) are organised according to survey years; the results presented refer to individuals’ experiences generally during the 3 months (but sometimes during the 12 months) prior to a survey.

Regional statistics on ICT are generally available for NUTS level 2 regions. However, the latest data for Germany and Greece are only provided for NUTS level 1 regions; a similar situation exists for Türkiye. The latest information for Croatia concerns national data; a similar situation exists for Norway and Albania.

For reference year 2021, the implementation of a new legal basis for the collection of statistics on the digital society (the framework regulation for the production of European statistics on persons and households (Integrated European Social Statistics – IESS)) resulted in a considerable level shift from 1 year to the next in relation to the data provided by several EU countries (principally Germany and Ireland); these breaks in series may impact comparisons over time.

For reference year 2024, regional statistics are presented according to NUTS 2024. No information was available for earlier reference periods when preparing this publication. As such, comparisons over time are impacted by the change in classification with a coherent time series only available for NUTS level 1 regions in Poland and for national data in Portugal.

ICT use in enterprises

The data shown at the end of this chapter are based on an annual EU survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises. The statistics were obtained from surveys conducted by national statistical authorities. The results of these annual surveys are used to benchmark ICT-driven developments, both by following developments for core variables over time and by looking in greater depth at other aspects at a specific point in time. The legal basis for the 2024 survey is Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics. In this fast-changing environment, this framework is implemented through a series of annual regulations. For reference year 2024, the survey was implemented by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1507.

The statistical unit for the regional data concerning workplace use of the internet and enterprise use of artificial intelligence is the enterprise. The population consists of all enterprises with 10 or more people employed. The data are presented for an aggregate covering the non-financial business economy – as defined by NACE Sections C to N (excluding K) and Group 95.1.

Indicator definitions

Internet users

Internet users, in the context of information society statistics in the EU, are defined as people aged 16 to 74 years making use of the internet in whatever way:

whether at home, at work or from anywhere else
whether for private or professional purposes
regardless of the device or type of connection used.

Internet activities

People participating in social networks are people creating user profiles and posting messages or other contributions to websites and applications such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok or X (formerly Twitter).

People using internet banking are people using online banking services either through a website or an app (application).

E-commerce

E-commerce can be defined generally as the sale or purchase of goods or services, whether between businesses, households, individuals or private organisations, through electronic transactions conducted via the internet or other computer-mediated (online communication) networks. The term covers the ordering over computer networks of goods and services, but the payment and the ultimate delivery of the good(s) or service(s) may be conducted either online or offline.

E-commerce by individuals or households via the internet is defined more specifically as the placing of orders for goods or services via the internet; orders via manually typed e-mails are excluded. Also included in the definition are:

buying financial investments – such as shares
making reservations for accommodation and travel
participating in lotteries and betting
paying for information services from the internet
buying via online auctions.

Enterprise use of ICTs

Workplace use of the internet concerns making use of the internet for business purposes. Within the survey, enterprises (with 10 or more people employed) were asked how many people in their workforce could make use of the internet for business purposes (irrespective of whether they accessed the internet using fixed line, fixed wireless and/or mobile telephone network connections).

Enterprise use of AI refers to systems that use specific technologies to gather and/or use data to predict, recommend or decide. Enterprises with 10 or more people employed were asked whether they made use of a range of specific technologies. The data presented refer to enterprises that made use of at least 1 of the following technologies:

AI for performing analysis of written language
AI for machine learning
AI for automating different workflows or assisting in decision-making
AI for converting spoken language into machine-readable format
AI for identifying objects or persons based on images
AI for generating written or spoken language
AI enabling physical movement of machines via autonomous decisions based on the observation of surroundings.

Context

As internet and digital technologies continue to transform the world, ICT innovations provide a stream of new business opportunities. This evolving digital world – encompassing concepts such as the internet of things and AI – has the potential to provide tools that will automate real-world processes across a range of EU policy objectives in fields as diverse as health, security, climate, transport, energy or the modernisation of the public sector.

Digital technologies bring with them new ways to learn, entertain, work, explore and fulfil ambitions. They also bring new freedoms and rights, as well as giving people living in the EU the opportunity to reach out beyond physical communities, geographical locations and social positions. However, there are also challenges associated with this transformation. The EU seeks to increase its strategic autonomy in technology (for example, increasing resilience and its share of the global semiconductor market) and develop new rules and technologies to protect citizens from a range of threats, including disinformation. Some people in the EU no longer feel in control over what happens with their personal data and are increasingly overloaded by digital solicitations for their attention. Malicious cyberactivity may threaten personal well-being or disrupt critical infrastructures and wider security interests, while there is increasing attention on the unregulated development of AI.

European Commission priorities

In February 2020, the European Commission adopted an overarching presentation of ideas and actions for Shaping Europe’s Digital Future, as well as specific proposals in relation to:

A European strategy for data (COM(2020) 66 final), which seeks to promote the EU as a leading role model for a society empowered by data to make better decisions – in business and the public sector
a White Paper on Artificial Intelligence – A European approach to excellence and trust (COM(2020) 65 final).

The Data Governance Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/868) entered into force on 23 June 2022. Its design supports the development of common European data spaces in strategic domains, involving both private and public players. Examples of the relevant domains include health, the environment, energy, agriculture, mobility, finance, manufacturing, public administration and skills. This initiative aims to make more data available and facilitate data sharing across sectors and EU countries to leverage the potential of data for the benefit of citizens and businesses. For example:

good data management and data sharing will enable industries to develop innovative products and services
with more data available, the public sector can develop better policies, leading to more transparent governance and more efficient public services.

The Digital Markets Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/1925) and the Digital Services Act entered into force in November 2022. The Digital Markets Act establishes a set of objective criteria for qualifying large online platforms as ‘gatekeepers’ (characterised by their strong economic or intermediation position). The Act aims to ensure that these platforms behave in a fair way, for example:

gatekeepers can no longer engage in self-preferencing on their platforms
users can delete pre-installed software from their devices and can download apps from alternative app stores
businesses can get free access to advertising data and can agree contracts outside of a gatekeeper platform
developers can use alternative payment or identification systems.

The Digital Services Act sets out new standards for the accountability of online platforms regarding illegal content, disinformation and other societal risks. It aims to empower and protect users by requiring online platforms to tackle illegal content and to increase accountability and transparency. The general obligations of the Act apply to all online platforms since 17 February 2024. Very large online platforms or search engines reaching more than 45 million users a month are subject to more stringent rules. Designed as a single, uniform set of rules, the act (among other conditions):

creates stronger public oversight of online platforms (in particular, those that reach more than 10% of the EU’s population)
is designed to increase the mechanisms for the removal of illegal content and for the effective protection of users’ fundamental rights
provides measures to counter illegal goods, services or content online
introduces new obligations on the traceability of business users in online marketplaces
provides safeguards for users, including the possibility to challenge platforms’ content moderation decisions
bans certain type of targeted adverts
increases obligations for very large platforms and search engines to prevent the misuse of their systems.

In January 2024, the Data Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data) entered into force. Its design promotes a fair distribution of the value of data by establishing clear and fair rules for accessing and using data in the European data economy – a necessity heightened by the growing prevalence of the internet of things. As a result, the design and manufacture of connected products should empower users (businesses or consumers) to access, use and share any generated data both easily and securely.

The Digital Decade policy programme has a set of targets and objectives for 2030, providing guidelines for Europe’s digital transformation under 4 key goals that promote:

a digitally skilled population and highly skilled digital professionals
secure and sustainable digital infrastructures
the digital transformation of businesses
the digitalisation of public services.

Alongside these targets, a set of objectives are designed to ensure that the digital transformation in the EU benefits all people, by:

building a safe and secure digital world
ensuring everyone can participate in digital opportunities, and no one is left behind
making sure that small businesses and industry can access data
enabling start-ups and SMEs to adopt digital technologies, such as cloud computing, data analytics and AI
promoting the deployment of innovative infrastructures
ensuring SMEs can compete in the digital world on fair terms
providing public services online
promoting research focussed on measuring the impact of digital technologies, while developing sustainable, energy and resource efficient innovations
ensuring all organisations adopt cybersecurity measures.

The Digital Decade programme sets up an annual cooperation cycle involving the European Commission and EU countries. It consists, among others, of:

a shared monitoring system to measure progress towards each of the 2030 targets
an annual report that evaluates progress and provides recommendations for actions
a set of strategic roadmaps where EU countries outline adopted or planned actions to reach the 2030 targets
a mechanism to support the implementation of multi-country projects.

In July 2024, the European Commission published its 2nd Report on the State of the Digital Decade. It highlighted gaps within the EU, including the need for additional investments, in particular for digital skills, high-quality connectivity, the uptake of AI and data analytics by enterprises, semiconductor production and start-up ecosystems.

Towards the end of 2024, the European Commission President – Ursula von der Leyen – laid out a new set of Political guidelines, 2024–29 detailing a plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness. Among the 7 key objectives, was the aim to boost productivity through digital technology diffusion.

The EU’s policy focus in this area has driven large-scale investment to deliver the expansion of fibre optics and 5G networks, while providing a human-centred digital space that has equipped thousands of people with relevant skills for the future. At the same time, the EU has become a global pioneer for citizen’s rights online: with the Digital Services Act, it redefined the specific responsibilities of large internet platforms in relation to the content they promote and propagate. Through the Digital Markets Act, the EU sought to ensure that major digital companies play by fair rules and ensure transparency and legal certainty for EU businesses. With the AI Act, the EU put in place a dedicated AI regulation, focusing on high-risk uses, while encouraging EU enterprises to take a lead in developing trustworthy AI. In conclusion, the EU has made considerable progress in relation to its digital economy, seeking to ensure that society benefits from technology and that innovation boosts competitiveness, while minimising technological risks for citizens.

This article forms part of Eurostat’s annual flagship publication, the Eurostat regional yearbook.

You can explore the maps interactively using Eurostat’s Eurostat’s Statistical Atlas.

Explore further

Database

Digital economy and society (isoc), see

ICT usage in households and by individuals (isoc_i)

Connection to the internet and computer use (isoc_ici)

Internet use (isoc_iiu)

E-commerce (isoc_iec)

Regional statistics on ICT usage in households and by individuals (isoc_i_reg)

ICT usage in enterprises (isoc_e)

Connection to the internet (isoc_ci)

E-business (isoc_eb)

Regional statistics on ICT usage in enterprises (isoc_e_reg)

Regional statistics by NUTS classification (reg), see

Regional digital economy and society (reg_isoc)

Thematic section

Publications

News articles

Paper and PDF publications

Eurostat regional yearbook – 2025 edition

Online publications

Selected datasets

Digital economy and society (t_isoc), see

ICT usage in households and by individuals (t_isoc_i)

Regional ICT statistics (t_isoc_reg)

ICT usage in enterprises (t_isoc_e)

Regional statistics (t_reg), see

Regional digital economy and society (t_reg_isoc)

Methodology

Manuals and further methodological information

Metadata

ICT usage in enterprises (ESMS metadata file – isoc_e_esms)
ICT usage in households and by individuals (ESMS metadata file – isoc_i_esms)

External links

Legislation

Summary of EU legislation: statistics on the digital economy and society
Framework Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 (households/individuals survey)
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1484 for a sample survey on the use of information and communication technologies statistics domain for reference year 2024
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1797 specifying the number and titles of the variables for the use of information and communication technologies statistics domain for reference year 2024
Framework Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 (enterprises survey)
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1507 laying down the technical specifications of data requirements and the deadlines for submission of metadata and quality reports for the topic of ICT usage and e-commerce for the reference year 2024

Visualisation