The European Commission’s i2010 report on ICT in Europe

The European Commission published a few interesting numbers in its new progress report “i2010”. The average broadband penetration in Europe totals 20 % (25.6 % in Belgium and 34.2 % in the Netherlands). No less than 40 % of all Europeans have never used the Internet. People who did access the Internet mostly used it for e-mails, e-banking and e-commerce and for researching product information. Benelux countries score far above European averages. Countries with a lot on their plate are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Poland and Romania. They indeed score below European average for over 75 % of the criteria. In some countries, 100 % of administrative formalities between the authorities and companies are conducted via Internet – a practice that the European Commission would like to recommend to all countries.