Digitalization in the EU: interaction with public authorities online in EU 2008-2021

Online information and services is an increasingly important part of the work done by public authorities. In the European Union, the share of citizens interacting with public authorities online has risen sharply since 2008, increasing from around a third to almost 60 percent. This rise is concurrent with the rise of the use of the internet overall, as computers and smart phones have made the internet accessible to an ever greater number of people over this period.

The increase in the share of individuals who use the internet relatively regularly (defined here as having used the internet within the past year) who have interacted with public authorities online is comparatively small since 2008, increasing from around 55 percent to almost 65 percent. The slow uptake of interaction with government and public authorities online likely reflects a dissatisfaction with the quality of information and services offered by these authorities online, resulting in citizens preferring to interact with the public authorities in person.