ICT sector: value added stood at 5.5% in 2021

In 2021, the value added of the EU’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector was equivalent to 5.5% of the EU’s gross value added: 4.7% from ICT services and 0.8% from ICT manufacturing.

This information comes from the ICT sector database updated today on the value added, employment, and research and development within the ICT sector.

Of the EU countries for which data for the aggregate ‘ICT sector’ was available, the country with the highest gross value added was Malta (10.3%), while Greece had the lowest rate (3,5%). 

Source dataset: isoc_bde15ag 

The 3 EU countries with the highest ratios in ICT services were Malta (9.4%), Cyprus (8.9) and Bulgaria (7.3%). Meanwhile, Hungary (1.2%), Malta (0.8%), Latvia and Slovakia (both 0.6%) had the highest share of gross value added through ICT manufacturing. 

When it comes to the share of the ICT sector employment in total employment, the average in the EU stood at 3.2% in 2021. 

Between 2011 and 2021, among EU countries for which data for 2021 were available, only Denmark recorded a decrease of ICT employment in total employment (-0.6 percentage points (pp)), while Latvia and Estonia registered the highest increases in the share of ICT employment in total employment: +2.5 pp and 2.2 pp, respectively. 
 

Source dataset: isoc_bde15ap

In 2021, the highest shares of ICT employment in total employment were found in Ireland (6.1%), Estonia (5.6%) and Sweden (5.2%). Meanwhile, the lowest rates were in Greece (1.7%), Poland and Portugal (both 3.0%).