Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

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The Digital Intensity Index (DII) is a composite indicator, derived from the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises. The DII 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 more than 90% of EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should reach at least a basic level of digital intensity. The 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 performance. 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.

The indicator is useful to describe the extent to which EU enterprises are digitalised. It measures the use of different technologies by enterprises and was for the first time compiled in 2015.

The indicator is calculated based on 12 variables, with each of the variables having a score of 1 point. The DII distinguishes four levels of digital intensity for each enterprise:

-        Enterprise has very low DII: count of enterprises with points between 0 and 3

-        Enterprise has low DII: count of enterprises with points between 4 and 6

-        Enterprise has high DII: count of enterprises with points between 7 and 9

-        Enterprise has very high DII: count of enterprises with points between 10 and 12

Additionally, based on the four levels of the DII, a “basic level” of digital intensity is calculated for monitoring the goal of the Digital Decade. A basic level of digital intensity entails the use of at least four of the twelve selected variables, which means it includes enterprises with a low, high and very high level of the DII, excluding the very low level.

The DII composition varies between different survey years, depending on the questions included in the survey. The exact composition for the different survey years can be found here.

Data is broken down by economic activity (according to NACE Rev. 2) and by size class of enterprise.

% of enterprises with at least 10 employees or self-employed persons in NACE Rev. 2 sections C to J, L to N and group 95.1.

In general, the 12 variables refer to the current situation in the survey period, or where specified in the model questionnaire to the calendar year prior to the survey period (e.g. for questions relating to e-commerce and ICT specialists).

For more details see Eurostat Model questionnaires and in case of deviations Country specific notes and National quality reports.

In general good accuracy and reliability of the results. Standard errors are calculated at national level and reported in the quality reports for a selection of indicators and breakdowns (see below).

For accuracy measures see also metadata for the survey ICT usage in enterprises. 

ESS (ICT ENT survey)

Data source: EU survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises.

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

Every year

Eurostat usually releases the results at the end of the fourth quarter of each survey year.

T+0 years

New data points are disseminated at the end of the reference year.

All EU MS

Data are presented for all EU Member States, Norway, Candidate countries and potential Candidate countries.

All EU MS

The DII in each Member State and other participating countries is comparable across countries. The reference methodology used for the survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in enterprises has been compiled by Eurostat. This methodology is available for each year and is described in a Methodological Manuals. Eurostat provides model questionnaires on which countries can base their surveys. Surveys are conducted by the National Statistical Institutes of participating countries.

5 to 10 years

The DII was for the first time calculated in 2015.

< 3 data points

The DII composition varies between different survey years, depending on the questions included in the survey, hence the comparability over time may be limited. 

See dedicated section on Digital economy and society, Publications, in particular Towards Digital Decade targets for Europe and How digitalised are the EU’s enterprises?

Please consult free data online (Eurobase tables)

All DII data are also available in the comprehensive database (ACCESS format) on the dedicated section Digital economy and society.