In 2021, the value added of the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector in the EU was equivalent to 5.5% of the EU’s gross value added, with 4.7% accounted for by ICT services and 0.8% by ICT manufacturing , according to data of the official statistics Eurostat
The country with the highest ICT gross value added is Malta (10.3%), while Greece has the lowest percentage (3.5%).
Bulgaria is among the three EU countries with the highest percentage of gross added value from ICT services – 7.3%, being surpassed only by Malta with 9.4% and Cyprus with 8.9%.
Meanwhile, Hungary (with 1.2%), Malta (with 0.8%), Latvia and Slovakia (both with 0.6%) have the highest share of gross value added from ICT production.
Graphics: Eurostat
As for the share of employment in the ICT sector in relation to total employment, the EU average is 3.2% in 2021, the data also show.
Between 2011 and 2021, among EU countries with 2021 data, only Denmark recorded a decrease in ICT employment relative to total employment (-0.6 percentage points), with Latvia and Estonia reporting the largest increase in the share of ICT employment – respectively by 2.5 p.p. and by 2.2 percentage points.
In 2021, the highest shares of ICT employment to total employment were recorded in Ireland (6.1%), Estonia (5.6%) and Sweden (5.2%), and the lowest in Greece (1.7%), Poland and Portugal (both 3%).
Employment in the ICT sector as a % of total employment in the EU in 2011 and 2021.
Graphics: Eurostat
