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Third of EU Consumers Not Computer Literate

DMeurope reports that 37 percent of people who live in European Union (EU) member states and are aged between 16 and 74 have no basic computer skills, according to the figures on e-literacy published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

Of the member states surveyed, the countries with the highest percentage of computer illiteracy were Greece with 65 percent, Italy with 59 percent and Hungary with 57 percent. More than half the populations are computer illiterate in Cyprus and Portugal (54 percent each) and Lithuania (53 percent). The countries with the least amount of computer illiteracy were Denmark with 10 percent and Sweden with 11 percent. Other countries with less than a quarter of the population being computer illiterate are Luxembourg (20 percent), Germany (21 percent) and the United Kingdom (25 percent).

In addition to comparing countries' computer skill ratings, the survey identified differences in e-literacy according to gender and age. 39 percent of women and 34 percent of men had no computer skills. Among people aged 55-74, the proportion of computer illiteracy was higher. On average, 65 percent of older people have no computer skills. Denmark and Sweden had the lowest rating for computer illiteracy in older people, with only 27 percent. Greece had the highest rating � 93 per cent of older people have no computer skills.

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