Denmark leads EU Digital Performance Index
The newly published 2016 edition of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) ranks Denmark as the 'most digital nation in the EU.
Hence, Denmark retains its top position from last year, ahead of the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Belgium.
The index ranks each EU country by its level of connectivity, human capital, use of internet, integration of digital technology, as well as the development of digital public services.
Highest internet consumption in Europe
Denmarks ranks first in the index’s 'use of internet' category which assesses how heavily online citizens engage with the expanse of the web; in activities such as video, film, music, subscription services, shopping and banking, for example.
This is especially due to the Danes’ fondness of shopping online and their use of eBanking. More than 80% of Danish citizens bought something online last year and 88% of the internet users used online banking.
EU Digital Performance index
Danish companies some of the most digitised
Denmark also stands out in the category 'integration of digital technology' which assesses the digitisation of businesses and how heavily companies embrace the online mix to better engage customers and drive growth.
Denmark ranks second in terms of electronic invoicing – and a comparatively large number of digital-savvy SMEs call Denmark home versus the European average. The Danish companies are further diligent in using the cloud, selling online, and providing strong eCommerce turnovers.
The report further highlights Denmark in terms of smooth “digital public services” denoting the extent of digitisation at play in a country's public services which comprises areas such as eGovernment and eHealth.
Ideal test market
The fact that Denmark is a small, highly integrated and homogenous society, with consumers who are quick at adopting new technologies makes Denmark one of the world’s best test markets. Furthermore, users often play an active part in developing new technology, thus enabling developers to create highly user-friendly products.
As a result, using Denmark as a test market gives international corporations the advantage of quickly being able to adjust and improve products at low costs before releasing them to the world market.
fact About the Digital Economy and Society Index
The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) is a composite index that summarising relevant indicators on Europe’s digital performance and tracks the evolution of EU member states in digital competitiveness.
The DESI measures the five dimensions: Connectivity, human capital, use of Internet, integration of digital technology and digital public services.