Netherlands leads EU in digital skills and business digitalisation
In 2025, 89% of Dutch companies met the EU’s basic digitalisation standards, while 84% of residents possess at least basic digital skills—the highest in the EU. This progress puts the Netherlands ahead of the EU’s 2030 digital targets, benefiting businesses and citizens alike.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Companies at basic digital level | 89% (2025) |
| EU 2030 target for SMEs | 90% |
| Dutch residents with basic skills | 84% (highest in EU) |
| EU 2030 target for residents | 80% |
| Top sector for digitalisation | Information & communication (98%) |
| Lowest sector for digitalisation | Hospitality (41%) |
| Dutch proficiency in online comms | 99% |
| Dutch proficiency in software use | 68% |
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Eurostat monitor digital progress to support the EU’s Digital Decade 2030 goals. The Dutch government uses this data to shape policies that enhance digital infrastructure, workforce skills, and business competitiveness across sectors.
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Companies with digitalisation in top 3 EU, Dutch most digitally skilled
In 2025, nearly 90 percent of companies in the Netherlands had reached the basic level of digital intensity, a benchmark for the level of digitalisation among businesses. In 2023, this figure was 83 percent. 84 percent of Dutch people possess at least basic digital skills, the highest rate within the European Union. These findings come from new figures on ICT use among businesses and residents from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Eurostat.
Nearly 9 out of 10 companies digitally at basic level
The degree of digitalisation among companies in the EU is measured using the Digital Intensity Index. One of the EU’s goals is that by 2030, more than 90 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs, 10 to 250 employees) will have reached a basic level of digital intensity. This means companies must use at least four of the twelve digital technologies selected by the EU. In 2025, 89 percent of SMEs in the Netherlands had achieved this basic level (low, high, or very high digital intensity), bringing the country close to meeting the EU’s target.
Nearly all information and communication companies digitally proficient
Of the companies in the information and communication sector, 98 percent meet the basic level of digital intensity. Even 92 percent of these companies achieve the two highest levels (high and very high digital intensity). Five other sectors also exceed the Dutch average of 89 percent, including real estate rental and trade, and specialised business services. Companies in the hospitality sector most often have low digital intensity (41 percent).
Dutch most digitally skilled in Europe
In 2025, the Netherlands had the highest percentage of residents with at least basic digital skills within the EU: 84 percent. This means the Netherlands has already met the EU’s ‘Digitalisation 2030’ target. By that year, the goal is for 80 percent of people aged 16 to 75 in the EU to have at least basic digital skills. Digital skills are measured based on what people do with ICT, divided into five areas: information and digital literacy, online communication, computers and online services, privacy protection, and software use. For each area, it is assessed whether someone has basic skills or more than basic skills. 56 percent of Dutch people possess more than basic digital skills. In 2023, this was 50 percent, and in 2021, 48 percent.
Nearly all Dutch proficient in online communication
Residents of the Netherlands are most skilled in online communication (emailing, internet calling, using social networks, and expressing opinions online on social or political issues). They are least skilled in using software such as word processing and spreadsheet programmes, and in writing computer programmes in a programming language. In the area of online communication, 99 percent of people have more than just basic skills, while in software use, this figure is 68 percent.
Sources
- StatLine – ICT use in small businesses
- Eurostat - Digital Intensity by NACE
- Eurostat - Digital Intensity by size class of enterprise
- Eurostat - Individuals' level of digital skills