Date: 2023-07-03Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1353 of 30 June 2023 setting out key performance indicators to measure the progress towards the digital targets established by Article 4(1) of Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Communications Networks
Executive Summary:
This Commission Implementing Decision EU 2023/1353 sets out key performance indicators (KPIs) for Member States and the Commission to measure progress toward digital targets established in Article 4 of Decision EU 2022/2481. These KPIs will be included in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). The decision acknowledges the need for future adjustments to the KPIs based on technological and socioeconomic changes. It entered into force on July 27, 2023.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Subject Matter:**
* Establishes KPIs to measure progress towards digital targets in Article 4 of Decision EU 2022/2481.
* **Key Performance Indicators:**
* Includes KPIs for digital skills, ICT specialists, gigabit connectivity, 5G coverage, semiconductors, edge nodes, quantum computing, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, SMEs with digital intensity, unicorns, online public services for citizens and businesses, access to e-health records, and access to eID.
* KPIs are based on data sources indicated in the Annex.
* **Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI):**
* KPIs will be included among the indicators monitored in DESI.
* **Future Adjustments:**
* KPIs may be adjusted or modified in view of technological developments, socioeconomic changes, or changes to the targets in Article 4 of Decision EU 2022/2481.
* **5G Coverage:**
* Acknowledges limitations in tracking progress using technologies other than 5G, committing to further analysis for a refined measurement framework.
Impact Analysis:
* **Member States:**
* Impact: Required to use the KPIs to measure progress towards digital targets.
* Action Required: Collect and report data for the specified KPIs.
* **European Commission:**
* Impact: Responsible for monitoring progress using the KPIs and potentially adjusting them in the future.
* Action Required: Monitor and analyze data reported by Member States, refine KPI measurements as needed, and cooperate with BEREC on specific KPIs.
* **Digital Decade Committee:**
* Impact: Provides opinions on the measures outlined in the Decision.
* Action Required: N/A. The decision is in accordance with their opinion.
Key Entities Referenced
European Commission: The executive branch of the European Union responsible for implementing decisions and policies.
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: One of the primary treaties of the European Union, outlining its scope, powers, and decision-making procedures.
European Parliament: The directly elected parliamentary body of the European Union with legislative, supervisory, and budgetary responsibilities.
Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030: A European Union initiative that establishes digital targets for 2030.
Digital Economy and Society Index DESI: An index that summarizes indicators on Europe’s digital performance and tracks the progress of EU countries.
Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications BEREC: The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications BEREC. The body is composed of representatives from the national regulatory authorities NRAs of the EU member states.
Digital Decade Committee: A committee established by Article 231 of Decision EU 2022/2481 to oversee the implementation of the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030.
European Digital Identity Wallet: A proposed framework for a secure and privacy-enhancing digital identity solution for European citizens.
L 168/48 EN Official Journal of the European Union 3.7.2023
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2023/1353
of 30 June 2023
setting out key performance indicators to measure the progress towards the digital targets
established by Article 4(1) of Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the
Council
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022
establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030(1), and in particular Article 5(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Article 5(1) of the Decision (EU) 2022/2481, key performance indicators (KPIs) are to be used to
monitor progress of the Union against the digital targets set out in Article 4 of that Decision. The same KPIs should
be used to measure the underlying trends at national level. The indicators in the Digital Economy and Society Index
(DESI), as defined in Article 2, point (1), of Decision (EU) 2022/2481, should include the KPIs set out in this decision.
The process used in DESI to define indicators and collect data should be limited by this Decision.
(2) The KPIs set out in this Decision reflect the best possible measurements of the progress towards the digital targets set
out in Article 4 of Decision (EU) 2022/2481 at the moment of this act’s adoption. Further analysis and verification
of data collection mechanisms are necessary to assess whether in the future these KPIs should be modified to reflect
the targets in a more comprehensive manner. In particular, one of the connectivity targets set out in Article 4(1),
point (2)(a) of Decision (EU) 2022/2481 aims at ensuring that all populated areas are covered by a next-generation
wireless high-speed network with at least 5G equivalent performance in accordance with the principle of
technology neutrality. The related KPI in this Decision allow for the monitoring of progress towards such coverage
considering 5G networks. The Commission acknowledges that such a KPI would not enable to track entirely the
progress made by Member States towards the target using technologies other than 5G. The KPI has indeed been
developed by the Commission on the basis of the data available at the moment of adoption of this Decision. To
address this issue the Commission is undertaking further analysis to refine the measurement framework for
connectivity and to define a measurable KPI that would make it possible to identify other ‘next- generation wireless-
high-speed networks’ with at least such 5G equivalent performance, including in cooperation with the Body of
European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). Moreover, further work is necessary to define KPIs
that could reflect more comprehensively the targets set out in Article 4(1), points (2)(a), (2)(b) and (2)(c) of Decision
(EU) 2022/2481, regarding gigabit connectivity, the production, in accordance with Union law on environmental
sustainability, of cutting-edge semiconductors and climate-neutral highly secure edge nodes. The work on the KPI
measuring gigabit connectivity will be undertaken in cooperation with BEREC.
(3) The KPIs will also need to be adjusted or modified, when necessary, in view of technological developments, or
socioeconomic changes, as well as to reflect possible changes of the targets set out in Article 4 of the Decision
(EU) 2022/2481.
(4) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Digital Decade Committee
established by Article 23(1) of Decision (EU) 2022/2481,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Subject matter
This Decision sets out the key performance indicators (KPIs) based on which the Member States and the Commission shall
measure the progress towards the digital targets established by Article 4(1) of Decision (EU) 2022/2481.
(1) OJ L 323, 19.12.2022, p. 4.3.7.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 168/49
Article 2
Key Performance Indicators
1. The following KPIs shall be used to measure the progress towards the digital targets set out in Article 4(1) of Decision
(EU) 2022/2481:
(1) At least basic digital skills, measured as the percentage of individuals aged between 16 and 74 years old disaggregated
by sex with “basic” or “above basic” digital skills in each of the following five dimensions: information,
communication, problem solving, digital content creation and safety skills. It is measured based on the activities that
individuals carried out during the previous three months(2); and gender convergence, measured as the percentage of
women and men among those individuals with “basic” or “above basic” digital skills.
(2) ICT specialists, measured as the number of individuals aged 15-74 who are employed as ICT specialists; and gender
convergence, measured as the percentage of women and men among those individuals employed as ICT specialists. In
accordance with the ISCO-08(3) code classification, ICT specialists are workers who have the ability to develop,
operate and maintain ICT systems, and for whom ICT constitutes the main part of their job, including but not limited
to ICT service managers, ICT professionals, ICT technicians, ICT installers and servicers.
(3) Gigabit connectivity, measured as the percentage of households covered by fixed Very High-Capacity Networks
(VHCN). The technologies considered are those currently able to deliver gigabit connectivity, namely Fibre to the
Premises and Cable DOCSIS(4) 3.1.(5) The evolution of the Fibre to the Premises coverage will also be monitored
separately and taken into consideration when interpreting VHCN coverage data.
(4) 5G coverage, measured as the percentage of populated areas covered by at least one 5G network regardless of the
spectrum band used.
(5) Semiconductors, measured as value generated, in terms of revenues, by semiconductor activities in the Union, in all
stages of the value chain, with respect to the global market value. For the first year, reporting will be done on the
basis of those activities in Europe.
(6) Edge nodes, measured as the number of compute nodes providing latencies below 20 milliseconds; such as an
individual server or other set of connected computing resources, operated as part of an edge computing
infrastructure, typically residing within an edge data centre operating at the infrastructure edge, and therefore
physically closer to its intended users than a cloud node in a centralised data centre.
(7) Quantum computing measured as the number of operational quantum computers or quantum simulators, including
accelerators of High Performance Computing supercomputers, deployed and accessible to the user communities.
(8) Cloud computing, measured as the percentage of enterprises using at least one of the following cloud computing
services: finance or accounting software applications, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software applications,
customer relationship management (CRM) software applications, security software applications, hosting the
enterprise’s database(s), and computing platform providing a hosted environment for application development,
testing or deployment(6).
(2) Defined following the Eurostat methodology reflecting the revised Digital Competence Framework(DIGCOMP 2.0), as also set out in
the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1399 of 1 August 2022 specifying the technical items of the data set,
establishing the technical formats for transmission of information and specifying the arrangements and content of the quality reports
on the organisation of a sample survey in the use of information and communication technologies domain for the reference year
2023 in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
(3) International Standard Classification of Occupations 2008.
(4) Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
(5) In addition to the analysis based on the KPIs, as defined in this Decision, Member States can present, in their national roadmaps,
complementary data regarding fixed, wired and wireless technologies able to deliver gigabit connectivity.
(6) As defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1344 of 1 August 2022 laying down the technical specifications of
data requirements for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’ for the reference year 2023, and subsequent implementing regulations
pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 202, 2.8.2022, p. 18), in particular
Article 7(1) and Article 17(6) thereof.L 168/50 EN Official Journal of the European Union 3.7.2023
(9) Big data, measured as the percentage of enterprises analysing big data from any data source (internal or external)(7).
As of the 2024 report, big data will be measured by the percentage of enterprises performing data analytics
(internally or externally).
(10) Artificial intelligence, measured as the percentage of enterprises using at least one artificial intelligence technology(8).
(11) SMEs with at least a basic level of digital intensity, measured as the percentage of SMEs using at least 4 of 12 selected
digital technologies(9).
(12) Unicorns, measured as the sum of unicorns referred to in Article 2, point (11)(a), of Decision (EU) 2022/2481 and
those referred to in Article 2, point (11)(b), of that Decision.
(13) Online provision of key public services for citizens, measured as the share of administrative steps that can be done
fully online for major life events. The following life events are considered: moving; transport; starting a small claims
procedure; family; career; studying; health.
(14) Online provision of key public services for businesses, measured as the share of administrative steps needed to start a
business and conduct regular business operations, which can be done fully online.
(15) Access to e-health records, measured as: (i) the nationwide availability of online access services for citizens to their
electronic health records data (via a patient portal, or a patient mobile app) with additional measures in place that
enable certain categories of people (e.g. guardians for children, people with disabilities, elderly) to also access their
data, and (ii) the percentage of individuals that have the ability to obtain or make use of their own minimum set of
health-related data currently stored in public and private electronic health-record (EHR) systems.
(16) Access to eID measured by two KPIs: (1) as the number of Member States that have notified at least one national eID
scheme in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 and (2) as the number of Member States that have
provided access to secure privacy-enhancing eID via the European Digital Identity Wallet in accordance with the
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 as
regards establishing a framework for a European Digital Identity(10).
2. The KPIs set out in paragraphs 1 to 16 shall be based on data sources indicated in the Annex.
3. The KPIs set out in paragraphs 1 to 16 shall be included among the indicators monitored in the framework of the
Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI).
Article 3
Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.
(7) As defined in the Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1910 of 7 November 2019 implementing Regulation (EC) No 808/2004 of the
European Parliament and of the Council concerning Community statistics on the information society for reference year 2020
(OJ L 296, 15.11.2019, p. 1), and subsequent implementing regulations pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European
Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 327, 17.12.2019, p. 1), in particular Article 7(1) and Article 17(6) thereof.
(8) Idem 5.
(9) As defined in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1190 of 15 July 2021 laying down the technical specifications of
data requirements for the topic ‘ICT usage and e-commerce’ for the reference year 2022, and subsequent implementing regulations
pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 258, 20.7.2021, p. 28), in particular
Article 7(1) and Article 17(6) thereof.
(10) COM/2021/281 final.3.7.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 168/51
Done at Brussels, 30 June 2023.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYENL 168/52 EN Official Journal of the European Union 3.7.2023
ANNEX
Sources for data collection on the Key Performance Indicators
Basic Digital Skills Eurostat – European Union Survey on the use of ICTs in Households and by
Individuals
ICT specialists Eurostat – Labour Force Survey
Gigabit connectivity Commercial provider delivering a study for the Commission, on the basis of
Member States’ data, where available
5G coverage Commercial provider delivering a study for the Commission, on the basis of
Member States’ data, where available
Semiconductors Publicly available/subscription data provision
Edge nodes Commercial provider delivering a study for the Commission
Quantum computing Publicly available/subscription data provision
Cloud computing Eurostat – European Union survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in
enterprises
Big data Eurostat – European Union survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in
enterprises
Artificial Intelligence Eurostat – European Union survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in
enterprises
SMEs with at least a basic level of digital Eurostat – European Union survey on ICT usage and e-commerce in
intensity SMEs enterprises
Unicorns Subscription data provision
Online provision of key public services Commercial provider delivering a study for the Commission
for citizens and businesses
Access to e- health records Commercial provider delivering a study for the Commission
Access to eID Commission services