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ICT sector analysis 2021

The JRC study "Prospective Insights in ICT R&D" (PREDICT) focuses on analysing the supply of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and Research and Development (R&D) in ICT in Europe, with comparison to major competitors worldwide. ICTs are indeed the technologies underpinning the digital economy.

The 2021 PREDICT Dataset and its accompanying reports provide a permanent monitoring tool of ICT sector. Since 2006, they serve to monitor and assess the impact of related policies: the 3% R&D (Lisbon Agenda and EU2020), the Digital Agenda for Europe (Chapter 5), the Member States digital progress in the European Semester through the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI)Search for available translations of the preceding linkEN••• (horizontal chapter ‘The EU ICT Sector and its R&D Performance’).

Time coverage: 1995-2020

The PREDICT Dataset covers the period from 1995 to 2018, the latest year for which official statistics are available at the level of detail needed for this analysis. Moreover, nowcasted values for 2019 and 2020 are provided for the main indicators.

Geographical Coverage:

The EU27 and its Member States; other major ICT R&D performers: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The PREDICT Dataset provides data for the EU27 and the EU28 (including UK). The EU aggregates in the PREDICT Dataset (EU27 or EU28) refer to the 27 or 28 countries for the whole period in which data are presented, regardless of the legal status of all the countries as Member State of the EU in the respective year. This is implemented in order to allow a comparison of the same aggregate over time.

Industry coverage and detail:

  • Total economy
  • ICT sector - comprehensive definition: detailed up to 22 economic activities
  • ICT sector - operational definition, internationally comparable: 6 industries
  • Non-ICT economic activities: 14 distinct aggregates
  • Media and Content sector: 14 economic activities
  • Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet

Monetary values are expressed in euros and Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) at current prices. Purchasing Power Parities (PPP), Price indices and Euro exchange rates are also provided. Employment is measured in headcounts. R&D personnel and researchers data is expressed in Full-Time Equivalent (FTE).

The PREDICT Dataset is based on the latest available data from official sources such as the Statistical Office of the European Community (Eurostat) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Data are computed according to the Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community, NACE Rev.2, based on the International Standard Industry Classification ISIC Rev. 4 definition of the ICT sector (OECD, 2007).

Data are also provided according to a (less inclusive) operational definition of the ICT sector, to allow comparability with some non-EU countries for which full coverage of individual economic activities in the sector could not be achieved.