Key figures of science, technology and innovation

Regional Key Figures

The "Europe's regional research systems: current trends and structures" booklets are a main outcome of the project funded by the European Commission under a 6th Framework Programme for Research contract (n° PP-CT-M2-2005-0002) for the implementation of the specific programme "Strengthening the Foundations of the European Research Area":

• Europe's regional research systems: current trends and structures [ - 3.49 MB]
• Exploring regional structural and S&T specialisation: implications for policy [ - 1.29 MB]
• An analysis of the development of R&D expenditure at regional level in the light of the 3% target [ - 1.75 MB]
  
• Cohesion policy and regional research and innovation potential [ - 3.3 MB]
  

 

Key Figures 2008/2009

Science, Technology and Competitiveness key figures report 2008/2009 [ - 9.07MB] and the statistical annex [ - 504 KB]

Key Figures 2007

Highlights of the Key Figures include discussion of the following topics:

• The diminishing weight of Europe in the multi-polar world of science and technology, and its implications for research strategies
• Transition towards knowledge-intensive economies: the need to intensify the pace of Lisbon-driven reforms
• The nature and dynamics of the EU's industrial structure is the reason for the R&D investment deficit with the US
• The important role of the public sector
• Less opportunities for high-tech venture capital
• Research excellence: the EU remains second behind the US, but excels in traditional domains
• Scientific output is more dispersed across scientific disciplines in the EU than in the US
• Knowledge flows from science to technology are weaker in the EU
• Weaker high-tech performance in the EU

More details can be found in the press release and in the pre-publication version of the full document [ - 3.03 MB]

Key Figures 2005

The Key Figures 2005 give a sharp insight on the most important aspects of EU research and innovation investment and performance in Europe, the US and Japan. For the first time, they include data on China.

They show worrying trends:

• R&D intensity close to stagnation in the EU at 1.9% of GDP;
• Substantially higher R&D intensities in the US (2.6%) and Japan (3.1%);
• Lower intensity in China (1.3%) but growing at about 10% a year – on current trends, China will be spending the same share of GDP on R&D as the EU in 2010!
• Slow-down in business funding of R&D in the EU;
• Poor EU performance to attract international R&D investments compared to US and China.

More details can be found in the press release and memo or in the full document. [ - 1.06 MB]

Key Figures 2003-2004 [ - 1.52 MB]

These Key Figures were the first to include data on the Acceding and Candidate countries. They showed that most of the Acceding countries were in the process of catching up with the rest of the European Union in terms of S&T investment and performance.

Key Figures 2002

[ - 624 Kb]

Following the first cycle of data collection, the 2002 Key Figures were published to measure the evolution of Europe towards the 3% objective.

Key Figures 2001 [ - 852 KB]

Following the Lisbon European Council of March 2000, the Commission was invited to draw up a methodology for benchmarking national research policies. A list of indicators, which were collected as part of the first phase of the benchmarking exercise, was put in place to cover four key issues:

• Human resources in R&D, including the attractiveness of S&T professions
• Public and private investment in R&D
• Scientific and technological productivity
• The impact of R&D on economic competitiveness and employment

The development of the indicators was undertaken by a special EUROSTAT task force, involving representatives from Member States’ statistical offices.