Digital skills in Europe - A methodological and empirical assessment

The European Commission’s working paper Digital skills in Europe: a methodological and empirical assessment (2025) examines how digitalisation is transforming European labour markets and how digital skill intensity can be effectively measured. Drawing on occupation-based indicators, it provides one of the most detailed assessments of digital skill distribution across Member States, highlighting persistent divides by sector, geography, and worker profile.

The report compares three complementary tools (the Digital Intensity Index, Digital Competency Index, and Digital Skills Index) to gauge the extent to which different occupations rely on digital skills. Despite methodological differences, the indicators converge on similar findings: only a limited set of specialist professions, such as ICT managers, software developers, and data analysts, display high digital intensity. Most occupations involve modest use of digital tools, and managerial or clerical roles vary widely in how much digital content they include.

Combining these indicators with EU Labour Force Survey data reveals clear demographic and regional disparities. Workers with tertiary education, younger age groups, men, and those in permanent positions are far more likely to perform digitally intensive work. Northern and Western EU countries (particularly Finland, Sweden, Ireland, and the Netherlands) show the highest digital intensity, while Southern and Eastern Member States such as Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Romania remain below the EU average.

When compared to self-reported digital activities and exposure to AI technologies, the occupational indicators align closely with everyday digital use but less so with advanced tasks like programming or AI development. The study concludes that Europe’s digital transformation is advancing unevenly, with major implications for competitiveness and inclusion. Strengthening digital education, reskilling opportunities, and targeted regional policies will be essential to close the gaps and meet the EU’s 2030 Digital Decade targets.