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The increasing use of computers in the work place has led to computer literacy being a necessity in a large majority of professions. A sound understanding and knowledge of computer applications and programs is becoming more and more important in working life. On the occasion of the e-skills week, which will take place from 26-30 March 2012, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, publishes data on university graduates in computing and computer skills of individuals. The European e-Skills week 2012 is a European campaign focused on raising the interest of young people in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) as well as showing people how to get jobs and e-skills for life in the digital age.

In 2011, there were 301 000 asylum applicants registered in the EU27. It is estimated that around 90% of these were new applicants and around 10% were repeat applicants. In 2010, there were 259 000 asylum applicants. In 2011, the main countries of citizenship of these applicants were Afghanistan (28 000 or 9% of the total number of applicants), Russia (18 200 or 6%), Pakistan (15 700 or 5%), Iraq (15 200 or 5%) and Serbia (13 900 or 5%).

comScore, Inc. released an overview of mobile news access across the five leading European markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) using the comScore MobiLens service. The study showed that nearly 37 percent of smartphone users in EU5 reported accessing news sites via an app or browser in January 2012, showing an increase of 74 percent over the past year. For EU5 smartphone users who accessed news sites on a near-daily basis, the growth rate was even stronger at 82 percent. The UK showed the highest penetration with nearly half (46.8 percent) of smartphone users reporting having accessed news sites at least once in the past month.

In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production fell by 0.8% in the euro area (EA17) and by 4.1% in the EU27 in January 2012, compared with the previous month. In December 2011, production decreased by 1.9% and 3.8% respectively. Compared with January 2011, output in January 2012 dropped by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.0% in the EU27.

The first estimate for the euro area (EA17) trade in goods balance with the rest of the world in January 2012 gave a 7.6 bn euro deficit, compared with -16.1 bn in January 2011. The December 2011 balance was +9.1 bn, compared with -1.7 bn in December 2010. In January 2012 compared with December 2011, seasonally adjusted exports rose by 1.3% and imports by 2.4%.

The number of persons employed decreased by 0.2% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.1% in the EU27 in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared with the previous quarter, according to national accounts estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the third quarter of 2011, employment decreased by 0.2% in both zones. These figures are seasonally adjusted.

Hourly labour costs in the euro area (EA17) rose by 2.8% in the year up to the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with 2.6% for the previous quarter. In the EU27, the annual rise was 2.7% up to the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with 2.6% for the previous quarter.

Euro area annual inflation was 2.7% in February 2012, unchanged compared with January. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. Monthly inflation was 0.5% in February 2012. EU annual inflation was 3.0% in February 2012, up from 2.9% in January. A year earlier the rate was 2.9%. Monthly inflation was 0.5% in February 2012.

In January 2012 compared with December 2011, seasonally adjusted industrial production grew by 0.2% in both the euro area (EA17) and the EU27. In December production fell by 1.1% and 0.8% respectively. In January 2012 compared with January 2011, industrial production dropped by 1.2% in the euro area and by 1.0% in the EU27.

In 2009, GDP per capita, expressed in terms of purchasing power standards, in the EU27's 271 NUTS-2 regions ranged from 27% of the EU27 average in the region of Severozapaden in Bulgaria, to 332% of the average in Inner London in the United Kingdom.