On 1 June 2005, the European Commission launched its “i2010” initiative, a five-year program intended to promote growth and employment in the information society and media industry.
At the halfway point, Viviane Reding of Luxembourg, the Commissioner responsible for the Information Society, has produced a positive interim assessment. More than half—51 percent—of the European Union’s approximately 500 million citizens now use the internet regularly. Of those users, 80 percent go online through a broadband connection.
Further figures show that 60 percent of public services in the EU are fully available online. Two thirds of all schools and half of doctors have fast internet connections.
The study can be downloaded from the EU website.
Further Links:
- i2010 Study