A third of Europeans have never used the web

But 80 per cent of those who do have a high-speed connection, says EU study

Web use in the EU grows - but not for all

One in four Europeans have never used a computer and a third have never used the internet, according to a report by the European Commission (EC).

But the study carried out over a five-year period also found that 56 per cent of Europeans were regular internet users by 2008, up from 33 per cent in 2004.

The EC report adds that 80 per cent of European internet users now have a high-speed internet connection, in comparison to just one third in 2004, which makes Europe the world leader in broadband internet.

Despite the fast uptake of internet use, the Commission has raised concerns that Europe’s internet industry is failing to achieve real business gains due to prohibitive rules.

"Europe's digital economy has tremendous potential to generate huge revenues across all sectors, but to turn this advantage into sustainable growth and new jobs, governments must show leadership by adopting coordinated policies that dismantle existing barriers to new services," said Viviane Reding, EU commissioner for information society and media.