Press Release: Indicators of the Information and Communication Technology Sector (ICT). Year 2023.

Main results

The turnover of companies in the ICT sector reached 136,717.1 million euros in 2023, up 10.0% compared to the previous year.
Spending on internal R&D by companies in the ICT sector grew by 16.9% to stand at 2,270.1 million euros.
The trade deficit of companies in the ICT sector fell by 0.1%. The largest import volumes of ICT products were for Telecommunications Equipment and Computer Equipment.

More information

The turnover of companies in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector stood at 136,717.1 million euros in 2023, representing an increase of 10.0% with respect to the previous year. These companies generated added value totalling 51,569.4 million euros.

The number of companies in the ICT sector rose by 2.4%, standing at 76,828. In contrast, the number of people employed grew by 5.5%, standing at 655,375.

Main variables of the ICT sector. Year 2023

Financial data in millions of euros

Source: Structural Business Statistics: Industrial and Services sectors

Salary cost in the ICT sector

The salary cost per worker in the ICT sector stood at 3,047.7 euros per month in the fourth quarter of 2023. The salary cost of the Manufacturing Industry was 2,847.6 euros and that of ICT Services was 3,051.4 euros.

With regard to the wage cost per hour, the highest ones were recorded in Telecommunications (26.5 euros), Programming, Consultancy and Other Computer-Related Activities (25.8 euros) and Information Services (24.8 euros).

Salary cost in the ICT sector. Fourth quarter 2023

Euros

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    "2,751.7",
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    "3,142.2",
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Source: Quarterly Labour Cost Survey

Companies in the ICT sector that carried out R&D activities

The number of companies in the ICT sector that conducted R&D in 2023 was 2,237, which represented 19.8% of the total number of companies that carried out this type of activity.

Employed personnel (in full-time equivalence) increased by 10.0%. The number of female researchers rose by 11.7% and that of researchers in general increased by 14.1%.

R&D activities in the ICT sector. Year 2023

Source: Statistics on R&D Activities
*millions of euros
**FTE=Full-time Equivalent

Companies in the ICT sector that carried out e-commerce

In 2023, 58.3% of the companies in the ICT sector with 10 or more employees made purchases through e-commerce, as compared to 39.0% of the total for the business sector.

Companies with 10 or more employees making purchases via e-commerce. 2022-2023

Percentage

Source: Survey on the Use of ICT and e-Business in Companies

Meanwhile, 34.2% conducted sales via e-commerce, compared with 30.7% of the business total.

The companies in the ICT sector made sales through e-commerce worth 20,109.1 million euros, accounting for 5.2% of the total sales through e-commerce.

Companies with 10 or more employees making sales via e-commerce. 2022-2023

Percentage

Source: Survey on the Use of ICT and e-Business in Companies

Value of the production of goods in the ICT sector

According to the Industrial Products Survey, the production value of ICT goods totalled 4,049.0 million euros in 2023, with an increase of 9.1% compared with the previous year.

By product groups, Telecommunications Equipment recorded the greatest rise, 39.4%.

Value of the production of goods in the ICT sector. Year 2023

Millions of euros

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Source: Industrial Products Survey

The value of the production of ICT goods accounted for 0.7% of the total value of industrial production in 2023.

Foreign trade in ICT products

ICT products had a negative trade balance totalling 15,609.5 million euros in 2023, with an 0.1% decrease in the trade deficit compared to the previous year.

Exports totalled 7,147.8 million euros, while imports reached 22,757.3 million euros.

The largest import volumes of ICT products were for Telecommunications Equipment and Computer Equipment.

Foreign trade in ICT products. Year 2023

Millions of euros

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    "2,270.6",
    "8,592.4",
    "-6,321.8",
    "13.0",
    "1,071.5",
    "5,039.7",
    "-3,968.2",
    "-6.0",
    "1,109.8",
    "2,101.8",
    "-992.0",
    "-53.2",
    "826.5",
    "3,108.7",
    "-2,282.2",
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Source: Own elaboration based on data from Tax Administration
(*)Combined Nomenclature

The exports of the ICT sector accounted for 1.9% of Spanish exports, 0.2% more than in 2022.

As for imports, they accounted for 5.4% of Spanish imports, compared to the figure of 4.8% in the previous year.

Foreign trade in ICT products. 2018-2023

Percentages

Source: Own elaboration based on data from Tax Administration

Data revisions and updates

The data published today are final. All results are available on INEBase.

In accordance with the Commission's Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/137, the INE has begun to work on incorporating the new National Classification of Economic Activities CNAE-2025 in all its statistical operations.

In the case of the ICT Sector Indicators, the first publication of results with CNAE-2025 will take place in 2027.

Methodological note

The main objective of the Iindicators of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector is to reflect the situation of the sector on the supply side, and not use, in order to provide relevant information on the manufacturing and service industries whose main activity is linked to the development, production, marketing and intensive use of information technologies. These sectors are characterised by having high rates of innovation, technological progress and productivity, which is why they have a considerable impact on economic activity.

Information is collected from other statistical operations to draw up the indicators. Tables of global values of the ICT Sector are published for the following variables: turnover, production value, added value, employed people and other sector-specific variables (classification variables, branch of activity and type of product), exports and imports.

Type of operation:: annual summarised statistics.
Population scope:: Spanish companies whose main activity (manufacturing, commercial or services) is in the ICT field.
Geographical scope:: the whole national territory.
Reference period:: the calendar year.
Collection method:: summary of different statistical operations.

For more information, you can access the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.