The Statistical Office of the European Communities on 20 June issued a report on the level of e-literacy of Europeans in using computers and the Internet. It reveals that 37% of people aged between 16 and 74 in the EU25 had no basic computer skills – 39% for women, and 34 % for men. This average percentage covers serious variations according to the Member State of reference, age group and educational background of the surveyed population.
Greece (65% of the population without core e-skills), Italy (59%), Portugal (54%) and new Member States except Slovenia rank among the e-society's bad pupils. By contrast, only 10% of Danes and 11% of Swedes are qualified as "non e-literate."
Lack of basic computer knowledge is especially blatant among older generations (65% of the 55-74 years olds in the EU25), whereas the 16-24 age group appears as the most e-proficient, with 40% of those demonstrating "high-level e-skills."
In all Member States for which data are available, the education level plays a crucial role in improving e-literacy. Among students of the EU25, the majority of respondents claimed to have medium or high level skills (41% and 43% respectively).
This survey highlights the urgency of renewed "e-Inclusion" commitments on the part of European authorities.
