The Commission has so far completed 72 of 101 actions under the Digital Agenda for Europe. 23 further actions are scheduled for completion by their deadline. 6 have been delayed or are at risk of being delayed.
This is what the Digital Scoreboard had to say about Malta:
- Broadband markets: At the end of 2013, fixed broadband covered 100% of homes in Malta (97% in the EU). In rural areas, fixed broadband covered 100% of homes. At the same time, Next Generation Access capable of providing at least 30 Mbps download was available to 100% of homes (62% in the EU).79% of the households had a broadband subscription at the end of 2013, higher than the EU average (76%) and 2 percentage points higher than at the end of 2012.
The share of high speed connections (providing at least 30 Mbps) was lower than the EU average (14% compared to 21% in the EU). Ultra-fast connections (providing at least 100 Mbps) accounted for 1% of all subscriptions (5% in the EU).On the mobile side, 4th generation (LTE) was not available. The take-up rate (subscription per 100 people) of mobile broadband was 58%, below the EU average of 62%.
- Internet usage: In 2013, 66% of the Maltese population reported using the internet at least weekly (regular users), below the EU average of 72%. Malta exhibited somewhat lower rates of daily use of the internet (frequent users), with 59% of the population reporting going online every day, compared to an EU average of 62%. In 2013, 28% of the population had still never used the internet; lower than in 2012 and higher than the EU average of 20%.
- Digital skills: Results obtained from a newly developed Digital Skills Indicator show that, in 2012, 48% of the Maltese population had low or no digital skills, compared to 47% for the EU average. Disadvantaged people (i.e. individuals who are aged 55-74, low educated and/or unemployed, retired or inactive) in Malta are more highly digitally skilled than is average in the EU. Within the workforce, skills are higher; 34% of the workforce has low or no digital skills. On average in the EU, the figure is 39%. At 54% in 2013, figures for households without internet access reporting lack of skills as a reason for no access are higher than the EU average of 37%. According to a broad definition, the share of ICT specialists in total employment in Malta was 3.1% in 2012; about the same as the EU average of 2.8%.
- eCommerce: In 2013, 46% of Maltese people had purchased goods or services online within the previous 12 months, which means that take-up of e-Commerce was below the EU average of 47%. Malta exhibited much better rates of cross-border e-Commerce, with 39% of the population having bought online from other EU countries in the previous 12 months, compared to an EU average of 12%. In 2013, 19% of large enterprises were selling on-line, significantly fewer than in 2012 and significantly fewer than the EU average of 35%. SMEs were less active with 10% of SMEs selling online, fewer than the EU average of 14%.
- eGovernment: In 2013, 32% of Maltese people made use of the internet for eGovernment services, a decrease from 41% in 2012 and below the EU average of 41%. 13% of citizens sent filled-in forms, down from 17% in 2012, and below the EU average. On the supply-side, the newly introduced User-centric eGovernment Indicator was at 94 in 2012-2013, much above the EU average of 70, and the TransparenteGovernment Indicator was at 96, much above the EU average of 49.
- eHealth: In 2013, 0% of Maltese hospitals had a broadband connection >50Mbps, well below the EU average of 36%. 100% of hospitals exchange clinical information with external healthcare providers or professionals, which is well above the EU average of 55%. For General Practitioners, the rate is 18%, lower than the EU average of 28%. 100% of hospitals provide patients access to the totality or part of their medical records, which is much higher than the EU average (9%).
- Research and Development (R&D) in ICT: In 2010, Business Expenditure in R&D (BERD) by the ICT sector in Malta amounts to €9mn, about the same as the year before. BERD by the ICT sector represents 35% of total BERD, above the EU average of 17%. Total BERD is 0.4% of GDP, below the EU average of 1.2%. In 2012, Public funding in R&D (GBAORD) in the ICT sector amounts to €0mn representing 0.4% to total GBAORD, below the EU average of 6.6%.
- Participation to the EU-funded Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7) in ICT: Over the period 2007-2013 the EU co-funded projects in Malta in the ICT domain (FP7 Cooperation ICT Theme and e-infrastructures within Capacities) for a cumulated total of €3 million. Overall 12 Maltese organisations participated in 22 projects (so represented in 1% of all projects) and coordinated 1 project.
In 2013 participation from higher education/research organizations was at 77% of funding, above the EU average (66%). Industrial participation was at 23% of funding, below the EU average (29%), all going to large enterprises.Participation (in terms of share of total funding) is higher in the following Strategic Objectives: ICT for Learning, Cognitive Systems and Robotics and ICT for Health.
For more information the report is available online at: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/progress-country
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Quelle/Source: The Malta Independent Online, 29.05.2014