As our society goes digital, paper is disappearing - and with it, access for millions. A campaign group is fighting to protect the right to choose to get information either by post or email in the EU.
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The European Union made the digital transition as one of its priorities and more public services, as well as advertising, are being moved online and are now received by email.
This is being presented as an opportunity to modernise the economy and save paper – however the "Keep Me Posted EU” group is arguing that it is leading to a digital exclusion of a not negligible part of the population.
Keep Me Posted EU is a campaign financed by the industries of envelopes, printing, paper and posting services and supported by NGOs protecting older people, people with disabilities, union and consumers.
In a report published earlier this year, they demonstrate how seniors, persons with disabilities, low-income households and inhabitants of rural areas were most likely to be excluded from the digital transition.
Lack of digital literacy makes it harder for people to complete essential tasks such as filling out their taxes, access to medical bills or payment of electricity bills.
In 2023, only 56% of EU citizens had basic or above-basic digital skills. Finland and the Netherlands lead the way with over 80% of their populations proficient in using digital tools, while Romania (27%) and Bulgaria (35%) rank lowest. The problem is also due to the fact that a large part of the population cannot easily go online as only 57% of households in the Romanian country side have access to internet.
The report also notes that choosing paper over digital is not only about ability, but also about preference. Some business owners and citizens are quoted as favouring paper for keeping records of important documents.
It also highlights, quoting a 2025 survey, that half of the population is worried about online security and the risk of personal information being hacked, and feel already overexposed to screens.
With the EU drafting a roadmap for the next five years on consumer protection laws, Keep Me Posted urges the European Commission to ensure that no consumer is left behind in their strategy. In short, they are asking to leave the choice to citizens and for them not being charged more or less for choosing one of the options.