Hungary Stands Out Among RIS Countries Embracing Digital Technology

According to the newest The digital decade – Juli 2024 – – Eurobarometer survey (europa.eu) released in July,  79% of Europeans believe that by 2030, digital technologies will be very (38%) or fairly (41%) important for accessing or receiving healthcare services. As the digital world and technology is evolving at unprecedented speed each day, consumers’ view of these technologies also continues to shift. We decided to look at how regions included in the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme are shaping up in this digital transformation.

The Importance of Digital Technologies

Digital technologies are deemed crucial in industries such as healthcare, public services, and education. Among the EU countries, Hungary stands out, with 91% of participants highlighting the importance of digitalisation in healthcare, compared to 89% in Denmark.

The majority of RIS countries reported that digitalisation makes their lives easier. In Hungary, 83% of respondents believe digital transformation has made their lives easier, while Slovakia and Poland report similar sentiments with 82% and 81%, respectively. Conversely, 34% of respondents in Romania reported that digitalisation has made their lives more difficult, indicating significant barriers to effective digitalisation of public and private services.

High-speed internet and cybersecurity are top concerns that need to be addressed. Countries like Hungary (82%), Estonia (80%), and Portugal (79%) show strong support for initiatives aimed at improving internet infrastructure. Poland and Italy each have 80% of their respondents emphasising the importance of improved cybersecurity measures, while Hungary shows even more significant concern, with 82% supporting enhanced data protection.

Slovakia and Poland report similar sentiments, with 82% and 81%, respectively.

Support and Priorities for Digital Decade

Another important aspect of digital technology is having human support to access and use it. Respondents from RIS countries agreed that human support is critical, with countries like Hungary and Poland having eight in ten respondents considering support a significant factor for transformation. In contrast, respondents from countries such as Sweden, Finland, and France do not view support in digital transformation as significant, with more than half (55%) of Swedish respondents reporting that support is unnecessary.

When asked whether it is important for public authorities to shape Artificial Intelligence and other digital technologies to ensure they respect our rights and values, the answers of the respondents from RIS countries differed quite a bit. Among countries such as Sweden, Malta, and Finland, nine out of ten respondents reported the importance of public authority; Hungary was fourth in the rank.

In summary, RIS countries recognise digitalisation as vital to public and healthcare services. While there is a strong belief that digital technologies enhance daily life, interviews indicate that human support is essential for facilitating this transition in some regions. Notably, challenges remain, particularly in countries like Romania, where digitalisation has posed difficulties. Addressing these barriers will be crucial for fully harnessing the benefits of digital transformation across regions included in the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme.