As for indicators from previous years, in the human capital dimension, “Graduates in STEM" has been replaced by “Graduates in ICT" (2.b.3) and in the integration of digital technology, “RFID” and "e-invoice" indicators have been removed.

There are no new sub-dimensions but some of them are renamed: sub-dimension 2.a changes from "Basic skills and use", with two indicators, to "Internet user skills", with three. All indicators of this sub-dimension have been calculated following the methodology of the E.C. (Digital Skills Indicator - derived from Eurostat survey on ICT usage by individuals. Methodological note., 2015). As for sub-dimension 3.a is not "Content" anymore but "Internet use", with two indicators instead of three, and, finally, 3.b does not refer to "Communication" but evolves to a series of "Online activities”, going from two indicators to eight. The dimensions remain unchanged.

Beyond these modifications in the DESIstructure, there are no methodological alterations in obtaining the indicators. Only in the case of “Open data” (5.a.5) the questionnaire has been updated.

With regard to the sources of information consulted, almost all of the data of dimensions 2, 3 and 4 come from the “Survey of the Information Society-ESI-Families” and the “Survey of the Society of the Information-ESI-Companies” of the Basque Institute of Statistics (EUSTAT). In cases where the data does not exist or does not conform to the definition, the National Institute of Statistics (INE), which carries out the “Survey on equipment and use of information and communication technologies in homes” and the "Survey on the use of ICT and electronic commerce in companies", has been consulted. Data in dimension 1 come from other sources such as the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) and the Ministry of Economy and Business. In dimension 5 data have been collected mostly from primary sources.

Data are relative to 2018 except for cases where there is no updated data. In such cases the most recent data has been taken. For some indicators of the digital public services dimension, data refer to the present time as they have been obtained from primary sources.

Some indicators have had to be partially estimated based on data from Spain. This is the case of “Mobile broadband take-up” (1.b.2), “Fast broadband take-up” (1.c.2) and “Ultra-fast broadband take-up” (1.d.2) indicators, for which it has been necessary to estimate the percentage of mobile subscriptions and fast and ultra-fast technologies for the Basque Country. The indicators of “5G readiness” (1.b.3) and “e-Health” (5.b.1) have also been obtained from data from Spain due to the impossibility of obtaining specific information regarding the Basque Country.

In the update of DESI 2017 and DESI 2018, regarding the new indicators, when it has not been possible to obtain the data retrospectively, the same data have been used as for DESI 2019. This is the case of “5G readiness” (1.b.3), “Exchange of medical data” (5b.2) and “e-Prescription” (5.b.3) indicators. In other cases data are also the same as in DESI 2018 because the source does not provide an updated data, as with “Above basic digital skills” (2.a.2), “At least basic software skills” (2.a.3), “Professional social networks” (3.b.6), “Online consultations and voting” (3.b.8). This also occurs with indicators that are not new. Other indicators have changed with respect to the previous year for a reason of homogenization of sources in the temporal analysis.

With regard to the calculation of “ICTSpecialists” (2.b.1) and “Female ICTSpecialists” (2.b.2), data on the employed population from the “Population and Housing Statistics” have been taken for the relevant sections of the following CNO11 classification codes: “Production and operations directors” (13), “Physical, chemical, mathematical and engineering professionals” (24), “Technology professionals information” (27), “Information and communications technology technicians (ICT))" (38), and “Workers specialized in electricity and electrotechnology” (75).

Regarding the indicator “Graduates in ICT" (2.b.3), data come from the “Classification of programs, degrees and certifications in study sectors, (CNED-F)”. University graduates and professional training graduates are taken into account in the specific ICT categories of the following fields: “Arts, humanities and languages” (02), “Natural, chemical, physical and mathematical sciences” (05), “Technologies of information and communications (ICT)" (06) and “Mechanics, electronics and other technical training; industry and construction” (07). These are the categories considered as ICT according to the Eurostat Fields of Training manual.

The indicators of dimension 5 “Pre-filled forms” (5.a.2), “Completion of online services” (5.a.3) and “Digital public services for companies” (5.a.4) are based on the methodology included in the E.C. eGovernment Benchmark 2018. The “Electronic health services” indicator (5.b.1) follows what is established in the Eurobarometer 460: Attitudes towards the impact of digitisation and automation on daily life. The two new indicators “Medical data exchange” (5.b.2) and “e-Prescription” (5.b.3) have as reference the Benchmarking Deployment of eHealth among General Practitioners 2018.

Regarding the elaboration of the WiD index of the Basque Country 2019, the methodology used comes from the E.C. (Women in Digital Index 2018. Methodological note).

As for the DESI, most of the data used have been provided by EUSTAT from the “Information Society Survey-ESI-Families” and the “Personal and family income statistics” (“Gender pay gap” (3.3)). For seven specific indicators, due to lack of information or to a greater adaptation of its definition, data have been obtained from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) (“Survey on equipment and use of information and communication technologies in homes”). Most of the data are from 2018 except in cases where the last available data is from 2017.

The methodology used to calculate the three indicators of the second dimension is the same as the one used to obtain the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) (Digital Skills Indicator - derived from Eurostat survey on ICT usage by Individuals. Methodological note., 2015), since these are the same indicators.

In reference to the calculation of STEM graduates (3.1), both the results of professional training and those of university education of students of science, mathematics, technology, engineering, manufacturing and construction have been considered. Based on the “Classification of programs, degrees and certifications in sectors of study, (CNED-F)”, certain items have been taken from the following categories: “Natural, chemical, physical and mathematical sciences” (05), “Technologies of information and communications (ICT)” (06), “Mechanics, electronics and other technical training; industry and construction” (07) and “Health” (09).

The indicator “ICT Specialists (3.2)” is the same as the DESI (2.b.2.) indicator.

The indicator of the “Gender pay gap” (3.3) has been obtained from the average salary distribution of the salaried population. It has not been possible to discriminate between employees working in companies with 10 or more employees, as defined by the E.C.

1. “Fields of Training – Manual”, Eurostat (1999).