Eurostat: 93% EU businesses online, 80% via broadband

Businesses across Europe who have yet to embrace the Internet are few and far between, according to new data released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

by Helen Leggatt

eurostat logo.jpg The Internet has revolutionized the way that many businesses operate and, with more and more people researching purchases and shopping online, the level of business generated via this channel is on the increase.

Businesses in Europe are certainly seeing increased sales thanks to Internet access. An impressive 93% of businesses in Europe with 10 or more employees now have Internet access which has in turn led to a 12% boost in turnover across the continent, found Eurostat.

Just as impressive, more than 80% of European online businesses are connected via broadband.

Finland, Spain, Malta, and France are the countries with the largest proportion of businesses with access to broadband. All four countries came in at 90% while Britain was eighth, with 85% of its businesses having broadband access.

While around three-quarters of Internet sales came from within a business' country of origin, 19% came from another European country and 8% from outside the EU altogether.