Europe is the Internet world leader

Over half of Europeans regularly use the Internet, putting Europe in a strong position to capitalise on the digital economy, the European Commission said this week.

By 2008, 56% of Europeans were regular Internet users, a jump of one third compared with 2004, the commission said in its Digital Competitiveness report.

Half of all households and more than four in five businesses are connected with broadband.

More than 70% of 16-24 year olds in the continent habitually share information online.

The continent has more broadband subscribers and better mobile Internet penetration than the US or China, the commission’s research discovered.

Europe has 144 million broadband subscribers, compared to 88 million in China and 84 million in the US.

“A new generation of Europeans mastering the web and ready to apply its innovations is coming on stage,” the commission said.

“These ‘digital natives’ hold great potential for Europe’s growth.”

Mobile phone penetration is also highest in Europe, with subscriptions representing 119% of the population. This is compared to rates of around 80% in Japan and the US.

However, “Europe’s mobile communications success has not spilled over into wireless broadband, where Asia is emerging as the world leader,” the report said.

Vivane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, said European governments must seize the initiative in further expanding internet use.

“To turn this advantage into sustainable growth and new jobs, governments must show leadership by adopting coordinated policies that dismantle existing barriers to new services,” Reding said.

The report revealed that Britain ranks as one of Europe’s leaders for Internet connectivity, with a higher proportion of retailers selling online compared with any other country.