IfG.CC - The Institute for eGovernment

In the EU25, 45% of individuals aged from 16 to 74 who used the internet obtained information from public authorities’ websites during the first quarter of 2004. At the beginning of 2004, 51% of enterprises with internet access obtained information from public authorities’ websites. This information comes from a report released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

This report presents the results of surveys on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for interaction with governmental bodies (e-Government) in the EU25 Member States, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Norway and Iceland. The report also includes an analysis of the availability of public services on-line

e-Government is one of the main goals of the “eEurope 2005 Action Plan -an information society for all”, an initiative taken by the Heads of State in pursuing the Lisbon Strategy, which aims at making the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based society. Increasingly, public bodies are creating websites for enterprises and citizens that enable an easier, cheaper and more efficient handling of procedures and supply of services.

In the first quarter of 2004, among those individuals who used the internet, the highest levels of access to public authorities’ websites to obtain information in the EU25 were recorded in Finland (62%), Denmark (56%), Luxembourg (55%), Spain and Hungary (both 54%) and Germany (51%). For downloading forms, the highest levels were observed in Luxembourg (44%) and Spain (29%), compared with an EU25 average of 20%. For submitting completed forms, the highest levels were recorded in Luxembourg (32%), Estonia and Portugal (both 26%), compared with an average of 12%.

At the beginning of 2004, among enterprises with internet access, the highest levels of access to public authorities’ websites to obtain information were recorded in Sweden (94%), Finland (90%), Estonia (87%), Lithuania (78%), the Czech Republic (75%), Luxembourg (71%) and Greece (70%). Sweden, Finland, and Estonia also registered the highest levels for downloading forms (91%, 87% and 81% respectively, compared to an EU25 average of 46%), while Poland, Portugal and Finland reported the highest levels for submitting completed forms (79%, 65% and 63% respectively, compared to an EU25 average of 32%).

Quelle: eFinland, 31.10.2005