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Eurostat’s 2026 digitalisation snapshot shows Bulgaria’s mixed position
Eurostat has released the 2026 edition of Digitalisation in Europe, an interactive publication tracking how people and businesses across the EU use digital technologies. The report shows digital adoption moving forward at EU level, but Bulgaria still trails in several business indicators even as it stands out on the share of women working in ICT.
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FTS Insights official • For French Tech Sofia, this is less a headline story than a useful benchmark. Bulgaria appears as a split market: the talent base shows a stronger gender signal in ICT than many EU peers, but business adoption remains weak on core indicators such as digital intensity, AI use and online sales. That matters for founders, operators and ecosystem builders because it points to a market where enablement, implementation and SME digital execution still have room to grow.
Key Takeaways
- Europe’s digital transition is advancing, but results remain uneven across company size and national markets.
- AI adoption is rising faster than the foundational digital capabilities many SMEs still need.
- Bulgaria combines a positive ICT talent signal with persistent gaps in business digital adoption.
- Cloud, e-sales and digital intensity remain practical indicators of competitiveness, not secondary metrics.
Why this matters
- The report shows AI adoption accelerating across Europe, but broader SME digital maturity is improving more slowly.
- For Bulgaria, the gap is operational, not abstract: weak digital intensity and e-sales still affect business competitiveness.
- The higher share of women in ICT is a concrete talent signal in an otherwise uneven national picture.
- For Sofia ecosystem actors, the data helps frame where digital tools, services and training may still find demand.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Article Summary
Published on 23 April 2026, the new edition brings together EU statistics on digital skills, business technology uptake, e-government, online shopping, e-sales and ICT security. The accompanying text was finalised in April 2026 and mainly reflects 2025 data, with some 2024 indicators depending on the topic.
At EU level, the picture is one of progress with clear gaps. Eurostat reports that 93% of people used the internet at least once a week in 2025, yet 40% of EU citizens still lacked basic or above-basic digital skills. Among businesses, 20% used AI technologies in 2025, up from 13% in 2024, while 53% bought cloud computing services. SME digital maturity remains uneven: 71% of SMEs reached a basic level of digital intensity, still well below the EU’s 2030 target of more than 90%.
For Bulgaria, the publication highlights a mixed digital profile. Only 38% of SMEs reached basic digital intensity, one of the lowest shares in the EU. Business AI use stood at 9%, and just 16% of businesses reported e-sales, with e-sales accounting for 8% of total business turnover. At the same time, Bulgaria ranked relatively well on gender balance in ICT, with women representing 25% of ICT specialists, placing the country among the EU leaders on that measure.
Key Highlights
- Eurostat published the 2026 edition on 23 April 2026, with data mainly covering 2025 and selected 2024 indicators.
- 20% of EU businesses used AI in 2025, up from 13% in 2024; usage reached 55% in large firms and 19% in SMEs.
- 53% of EU businesses bought cloud services in 2025, while 71% of SMEs reached a basic level of digital intensity.
- Bulgaria recorded 38% of SMEs at basic digital intensity, 9% business AI use and 16% of businesses selling online.
- Women represented 25% of ICT specialists in Bulgaria, putting the country among the higher shares in the EU.
Takeaway
Eurostat’s 2026 edition suggests that Europe is moving further into digital adoption, but not at the same speed everywhere. For Bulgaria, the signal is clear: talent indicators offer encouragement, while SME digital execution still needs work.
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