Too few Belgians working in IT and fibre coverage still lowest in EU
Only 5.7 per cent of Belgians work in the ICT sector. That is far below the EU’s target of 10 per cent by 2030, according to a new federal report on digitalisation. The stagnating figure raises concerns about Belgium’s ability to meet its tech workforce goals.
The report, published by the Federal Public Service (FPS) Economy, also highlights Belgium’s lagging digital infrastructure. Just 30.7 per cent of the population has access to fibre-optic internet, the lowest rate in the EU, where the average is 69.2 per cent. Despite a small increase in 2024, Belgium remains last in the rankings.
Several operators, including Proximus, Wyre (Telenet/Fluvius) and newcomer Digi, are working to expand fibre networks, but the process is costly and time-consuming.
However, the lack of fibre is not seen as critical. Belgium leads the EU in high-capacity fixed internet access: 93.8 per cent of the population is covered thanks to hybrid networks using coaxial cables and fibre.
Meanwhile, Belgium has made rapid progress on 5G coverage. By the end of 2024, nearly 97 per cent of households had access to 5G. This surpasses the EU average of 94.35 per cent.
Illustration shows a woman working on a computer at the Airport Operations Center at Brussels Airport © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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