According to new data from Eurostat, the share of Cypriot enterprises with between 10 and 249 employees with a very high level of digitalisation is only 4.5 per cent.
This compares with 4.4% for the EU as a whole.
On the other hand, 37.6% of enterprises in Cyprus have a low level of digitalisation (33.8% EU average), while 25.2% have a high level of digitalisation (19.6% EU average). The share of enterprises with a very low level of digitalisation reaches 32.7% in Cyprus, compared to 42.3% in the EU. Overall, these data place Cyprus among the top ten EU countries with a high level of digitalisation.
Among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), 68% in Cyprus and 58% in the EU have reached the basic level of digital intensity, compared to 91% of large enterprises in Cyprus and 87% in the EU.
Only 3% of SMEs in Cyprus (3% of EU SMEs) have a very high level of digital intensity. 22% are at a high level (18% in the EU). Most SMEs have a low (41% in Cyprus, 34% in the EU) or very low (34% in Cyprus, 45% in the EU) level of digital intensity.
Finland (13%), Malta (11.4%) and the Netherlands (11%) recorded the highest proportions of enterprises with a very high level of use of digital technologies in business. The countries lagging behind are Romania (72.1%), Bulgaria (70.6%) and Greece (56.2%).
It is worth noting that, according to the Eurostat report, 69% of enterprises in Cyprus and 59% of EU enterprises have reached the basic level of digital technology use (digital intensity).
The basic level implies the use of at least four out of twelve selected digital technologies. For example, the use of any artificial intelligence technology or the share of e-commerce sales of at least 1% of total turnover. The basic level includes companies with low, high and very high scores on the Digital Intensity Index. Only companies with a very low score on this criterion are excluded.
The article notes: "One of the objectives of the EU Digital Compass is that more than 90% of SMEs in the European Union should reach at least the basic level of digital intensity by 2030.