Eurostat: Percentage of Cypriots using e-government services dropped to 66% in 2023

In 2023, Cyprus was among the EU’s member states with the lowest percentage of citizens interacting with public authorities online (66%), staying close to the average of the EU (69%).

This figure was significantly higher than the country with the lowest score (Romania, 23%) but significantly lower than the highest scoring country (Denmark, 98%), according to data released by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU.

The data shows a significant reduction compared to 2022, when the share for Cyprus stood at 90%. During the same period, there was a small increase on the EU level from 68% to 69%.

The data captures the share of EU citizens aged 16-74 that have used a website or an app of a public authority in the preceding 12 months.

The share varied greatly among EU countries, with highest shares recorded in Denmark (98%), Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden (all 95%). In contrast, the lowest shares were recorded in Romania (23%), Bulgaria (30%) and Germany (58%).

Looking at the different e-government activities in more detail reveals that, in 2023, 42% of people in the EU used e-government services in the previous 12 months to obtain information about services, benefits, laws, opening hours or similar. This was followed by the downloading or printing of official forms (40%), the accessing of personal information (39%), and the making of an appointment or a reservation and receiving official communication or documents (37% for both).

The share of individuals who submitted tax declarations online was somewhat lower at 29%. Similarly, the figures for accessing public databases or registers were 19%, while 18% of people requested official documents or certificates and 17% requested benefits or entitlements online.

In Cyprus, the activity with the largest share was obtaining information about services, benefits, laws, opening hours et cetera (50%), the accessing of personal information (43%), downloading or printing of official forms (31%), requesting benefits or entitlements online (28%) and the accessing of public databases or registers (25%).

These were followed by submitting tax declarations online (23%), requesting official documents or certificates (22%), receiving official communication or documents (19%) and making appointments or reservations (15%).

Compared to 2022, the most significant change was the drop in receiving official communication or documents from 88% to 19%, with drops also recorded in accessing personal information (from 51% to 43%) and making appointments (from 32% to 15%). There was however an important increase in the share of citizens obtaining information (from 41% to 50%), requesting benefits or entitlements online (from 11% to 28%) and accessing public databases or registers (from 15% to 25%).

(Source: CNA)