Eurostat: Romania ranks last in the EU in digital skills and use of online services

A study published by Eurostat shows that, in 2025, 93% of people in the European Union used the internet at least once a week, but a significant percentage, 40%, do not have basic digital skills. Romania ranks last in the Union in this regard, highlighting major gaps in adapting to the digital economy. According to the report, the EU objective is that by 2030 at least 80% of the population should have basic digital skills. Currently, this threshold is far from being reached, and the differences between member states remain considerable. The highest levels of digital skills were recorded in the Netherlands (84%), Ireland (83%), Denmark and Finland (both with 81%). At the opposite end, Romania occupies the last position, with only 31.8% of citizens having basic digital skills.

• How Europeans use the internet

In 2025, 94% of Europeans said they had used the internet in the last three months. The main online activities are related to communication: 88% of users use instant messaging, and 87% send or receive emails. Other frequent activities include: making phone or video calls (81%), searching for information about goods and services (77%), online banking (74%), participating in social networks (72%), reading online news (71%), searching for health information (64%).

• Our country's paradox: high social media, low email usage

The data for Romania shows a significant contrast: 85.4% of users are present on social networks - above the EU average and in second place in the ranking - but only 49.3% use email, which places the country in last place in the Union in this regard. Romania also ranks last in the EU in terms of reading online news and searching for information about goods and services.

• Internet banking: last place again

The use of online banking services has increased at European level, reaching 74% in 2025, compared to 56% in 2015. These services are most used among people aged 25 to 64 (78%). The highest levels of use are recorded in Denmark (98%), Finland (97%), the Netherlands (96%) and Ireland (95%). In contrast, Romania ranks last, with only 33.3% of citizens using internet banking.

• Online shopping on the rise across Europe

According to Eurostat, 78% of EU citizens shopped online in 2025, up from 62% in 2015. The highest percentages are recorded in Ireland (95%) and the Netherlands (94%), while Bulgaria (57%) and Italy (62%) are at the bottom of the ranking. Online shopping is most popular among young people aged 16 to 24 (84%), but over half of people aged 65 to 74 (55%) have also shopped online.

In 2024, 70% of users who shopped online purchased clothes, shoes or accessories. Other popular products and services include: streaming subscriptions (46%), event tickets (38%), transport services (38%), restaurant deliveries (33%), online accommodation (33%), cosmetics (31%). In terms of clothing purchases, Cyprus leads the ranking (85%), followed by Bulgaria and Romania (79%). The lowest percentages are recorded in Latvia and Estonia (58%) and the Czech Republic (60%). These data highlight a strong contrast between the high degree of connectivity and the low level of digital skills in some Member States, in particular in Romania, where internet use does not yet translate into full digital integration of the population.