The European print industry and its members contribute to more inclusion and ensure fair access to information. Citizens should be free to decide how they receive information, digital or printed, ensuring accessibility, trust, and transparency.

• A significant share of Europeans still lacks the digital skills needed to navigate online services. According to the European Commission (DESI, 2023), 42% of Europeans have low or no digital skills, including 30% of people in the workforce.
• Eurostat (2023) reports that 12 million European households have no internet access, and 8% of Europeans have never used the internet (DESI, 2022). Relying exclusively on digital tools for essential services, documentation, and information therefore undermines the principle of inclusion, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare, banking, public services, and access to important information.
• The use of financial technology also declines sharply with age. World Bank Findex data (Doerr et al., 2022) show that while over 40% of people under 40 use digital payments, fewer than 25% of those aged 60 and above do. Similarly, although the share of Europeans who have never used the internet has fallen from 26% in 2011 to 8% in 2021, the proportion rises to about 20% among older adults (55–74 years) and people with lower levels of education (EPRS, 2022).
• Europe’s regional digital divide: across the continent, access to the internet is widespread, but significant regional disparities remain. Most European populations have internet access rates between 75% and 98%, yet the North and North-West consistently outperform other regions. According to van Kessel et al. (2022), Northern and North-Western Europe reach 94–98% access, compared to 89–91% in Central and South-Western Europe, and just 75–87% in Southern and Eastern Europe.
• Digital inequalities are even more pronounced when comparing rural and urban areas. In Southern and Eastern Europe, rural access ranges from only 62% to 75%, while urban areas reach 82–87% (EPRS, 2022). These gaps shape how citizens participate in online services, education, employment, and communication.
• Digital skills follow the same geographic pattern. Northern and North-Western Europe have the highest share of highly digitally skilled individuals, with more than half the population possessing above-basic digital skills. In contrast, less than 20% of people in South-Eastern Europe achieve this level (EPRS, 2022). Demographic factors compound these differences: people who are younger, more educated, male, living in urban areas, and either students or employed consistently report higher access and stronger digital skills (van Kessel et al., 2022).
• In regions and populations with lower digital access and skills, limiting citizens to digital-only tools can create serious risks. Essential information, such as medication prescriptions, dosage instructions, or legally binding documentation, becomes less accessible, increasing vulnerability to errors, fraud, or hacking. Even where digital systems exist, practical barriers remain: accessing medical imaging reports electronically is still difficult for many citizens, as most EU27 countries face persistent “data gaps” (EU-DG CONNECT, 2022).
• Although the share of Europeans without digital skills or internet access is steadily shrinking, national differences remain substantial. Country-specific data must be considered when designing policies or communication strategies. Estonia, for example, has digitalised 91% of its public services, while Romania reaches only 42%. These contrasts highlight the importance of maintaining both digital and non-digital options to ensure no citizen is excluded.