i2CAT participates in the elaboration of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI)

Catalonia occupies an important place as a digital region in Europe according to the Digital Economy and Society Index

The i2CAT Foundation has participated in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) presented by the European Commission. It is the first time that Catalonia has been included, thanks to the joint work of Orkestra-Instituto Vasco de Competitividad, CTecno, and the Ministry for Digital Policy and Public Administration of the Government of Catalonia.

The European Commission approaches the Digital Market as the frame for the development of Digital Policy. To monitor Europe’s digital performance and follow the progress of the EU countries in digital competitiveness, the Commission created an index compounded by the economy and digital society: DESI (Digital Economy and Society Index). The index allows measuring the digitalization degree of a territory and follows up its development over time. It also analyses the comparative of Catalonia regarding the rest of the countries of the European Union. From now on, the idea is for Catalonia to participate every year and develop its strong features, strengthen the weakest ones, and keep improving steadily.

The index is composed of 44 indicators grouped in 5 dimensions. Each of these dimensions has its subdimensions:

• Connectivity (25 %): stationary broadband, mobile, fast, extra fast, and its prices. Catalonia has an important impact on this dimension, occupying the 4th position. 
• Human capital (25 %): Internet user competences and advanced competencies and development. This is the 3rd most important dimension in Catalonia, occupying the 8th position. 
• Internet services usage (15 %): Internet use, online activities, and transactions. It is one of the weakest dimensions in Catalonia, in the 10th position. 
• Integration of digital technology (20 %): business digitalization and electronic business. It is also one dimension to improve in Catalonia, also occupying the 10th position.  
• Public digital services (15 %): electronic government and electronic health. It’s the 2nd dimension where Catalonia occupies its 2nd highest place. 

In Catalonia, the index allows measuring specifically the digitalization of the economy and society in the region, allowing to analyze it separately from the whole country. In 2019, the region ups to 62.47 %, an aspect that places it in the 5th place of the general ranking that groups the 28 EU countries. Even Catalonia does not position as a leader in any of the dimensions, the region maintains levels above the countries’ total average in all dimensions.