Internet access in EU increases

In the 27 member European Union, more than three quarters of households had access to the internet in 2012, compared with just under half in 2006. In 2012, 72% of EU households had access to the internet via a broadband connection, compared with 30% in 2006. Broadband internet access enables higher speed when browsing and performing activities over the internet These data were published Tuesday by Eurostat, the EU statistical office. While the level of internet access increased in all EU Member States between 2006 and 2012, differences however remain significant. In 2012, shares of internet access of 90% and over were recorded in the Netherlands (94%), Luxembourg (93%) and Denmark and Sweden (both 92%), while shares just over 50% were registered in Bulgaria (51%), Greece and Romania (both 54%). In 2012, in every EU Member State at least half of households had a broadband connection. Sweden (87%) registered the highest share of broadband connections, followed by Denmark and Finland (both 85%), the Netherlands (83%), Germany (82%) and the United Kingdom (80% in 2011). Lithuania (92% of internet users) and Estonia (91%) had the highest percentages of those having used the internet in 2012 for reading online news and newspapers, while France had the lowest proportion (38%).