Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

G4: Innovation and digitalisation

2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG

The main classification used in the GBARD database is the Nomenclature for the analysis and comparison of scientific programmes and budgets (NABS 2007). The latest version of the nomenclature (NABS 2007) is applicable since reference year 2007. Before, its earlier version (NABS 1992) was used. For detail information about the differences between the two versions of the NABS please refer to: Comparison between NABS 2007 and NABS 1992 (See Annex 2 at the bottom of the page). NABS 2007 has a chapter on Defence GBARD which is military while the rest of the chapters are civil socioeconomic objectives.

Country codes and names are based on the inter-institutional style guide.

GBARD covers not only government-financed R&D performed in government establishments but also government-financed R&D in the other three national sectors (business enterprise, private non-profit, higher education) as well as Rest of the world  (including international organisations), (§ 12.16, Frascati Manual (2015)). 

All public administrations.

Budget analysis: The data is assembled by national authorities using data collected for public budgets. This essentially involves identifying all the budget items related to R&D and measuring or estimating their R&D content. In some countries, R&D budget text analysis is supplemented with additional information obtained from the national funding agencies/ministries or through statistical surveys.

GBARD statistics are currently available for EU Member States, EFTA countries and Candidate Countries, Japan, the United States and South Korea. Eurostat also calculates and disseminates aggregates at the EU and EA levels (EU Member States and Euro Area States).

Eurostat's GBARD database contains national data from 1980 onwards, though the data availability differs according to country. European aggregates are available from 2000 onwards.

GBARD data is available in the following units: National currency (MIO_NAC), Euro (MIO_EUR), Euro per inhabitant (EUR_HAB), Purchasing Power Standard (MIO_PPS), Purchasing Power Standard at 2005 prices (MIO_PPS_KP05), Purchasing Power Standard per inhabitant at constant 2005 prices (PPS_ HAB_KP05), Percentage of gross domestic product (PC_GDP), Percentage of total GBARD (PC_GBA - for the breakdowns by socio-economic objectives and by funding mode), , Percentage of GBARD in total government expenditure (PC_GEXP).

Calendar year.

Since the beginning of 2021, the collection of R&D statistics is based on the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1197/2020 of 30 July 2020. The Regulation sets the framework for the collection of R&D statistics and specifies the main variables of interest and their breakdowns at predefined level of detail. Statistics on science, technology and innovation were collected based on Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 995/2012 concerning the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology until the end of 2020.  

From December 2005 onwards GBARD data are collected in co-operation with OECD.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164) stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

Primary and secondary confidentiality of GBARD data are flagged by the countries and provided to Eurostat. Eurostat removes any data flagged as ‘confidential’. Primary and secondary confidentiality is respected for any data publicly released. Eurostat assumes complete flagging and does not take any further measures.

Eurostat aims to publish preliminary GBARD data 7 months after the end of the reference year (in July).

Eurostat aims to publish final GBARD data 13 months after the end of the reference year (in the following January).

Eurostat’s release calendar is available on Eurostat’s website. (Release calendar - Eurostat (europa.eu)).  The R&D dedicated section is to be found in Eurostat's website. (Overview - Science, technology and innovation - Eurostat (europa.eu)).

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 15 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

Annual.

News releases on-line can be accessed on Eurostat’s webpage (What's new? - Eurostat (europa.eu)).

Statistics Explained.

Not applicable.

See also Eurostat's Science, technology and innovation (STI) section website.

(Overview - Science, technology and innovation - Eurostat (europa.eu)).

Detailed information about the national survey methods applied (Metadata) as well as about the quality of the data (Quality Reports) is provided by the countries to Eurostat systematically on an annual base according to the new legal base.  The new format for metadata and quality reports is the Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS reporting).

National quality reports of Member States, Norway and Switzerland are available in the odd years since the reference year 2009. 

Quality evaluation of GBARD statistics is carried out based on the information provided in the national quality reports sent by the countries in addition to the regular metadata provision.

According to the information available, overall quality of GBARD statistics is good. Some differences between countries' measurement methodology (for example the stage in the budgetary process from which GBARD data are drawn) could affect the comparability of the results.

The users who make the most use of GBAD data are:

- Commission DGs: DG Research and Innovation, DG JRC;

- International organisations: OECD, UNESCO;

- National governments;

- Scientific organisations and universities.

Completeness of both preliminary and final GBARD statistics is very good. The classification by type of funding in institutional funding and project funding is not very complete as it is an optional split.

The overall accuracy of GBARD data is generally good. Some countries use coefficients, usually as a complement of text analysis, for the estimation of the R&D share in budget items. As far as possible, these coefficients should be consistent with what is reported by the institutions as R&D in performer-based survey. The information on coefficients should be made available to users as openly as possible in order to facilitate review and updates. (§ 12.13, Frascati Manual (2015)).

The compilation of GBARD statistics relies on administrative data. A sampling error is therefore not defined.

While no quantitative information is available on coverage and measurement errors, countries make substantial efforts to minimise them.

Preliminary GBARD data are provided to Eurostat 6 months after the end of the calendar year (June) and are targeted to be released in July.

Final GBARD data are provided to Eurostat 12 months after the end of the calendar year (December) and are targeted to be released in January.

Almost all countries are very punctual in the transmission of the GBARD data to Eurostat.

Countries compile GBARD data following the Frascati Manual (2015) recommendations (§ 12.41). Among the few methodological issues which can affect the comparisons across countries are the stage in the budgetary process from which final GBARD data are drawn (final budget appropriations or actual outlays); and the inclusion of EU funds for R&D. During the budgetary year, supplementary budgets may be voted, including increases, cuts and reallocation of R&D funding. Data should be available as soon as possible after the end of the budgetary year. It is suggested by the Frascati Manual (2015) that the final GBARD data should be based on the final budget appropriations. 

Breaks in the series are rare in the most recent years. However, in years further in the past, i.e., years before 1995, methodology to derive GBARD data has changed several times.

The difference between GBARD data and R&D expenditure financed by government varies significantly across the countries. It can be explained to a certain extent with existing objective methodological reasons. In general, and for consistency of GBRAD with total GERD estimates, the Frascati Manual (2015) recommends reporting by the institutional unit performing the R&D. However, in order to meet its stated aim of collecting timely data on funding that can be classified by socioeconomic objective, GBARD data should be collected from the funder rather than the performers. (§ 12.39, Frascati Manual (2015)).

Regarding coherence between preliminary and final GBARD data, there are slight differences reported by the countries. These differences reflect the respective differences between provisional and final budgets.

Systematic information is not available.

The general Eurostat revision policy applies to this domain.

Data transmitted to Eurostat by the reporting countries undergo detailed verifications by applying automated validation procedures at the level of variables and breakdowns. The second step of data verification consists in the time series checks. Before dissemination, results for the main indicators are compared across countries. If after these verifications, acceptance and publication of data, inconsistencies are found, reporting countries are asked to verify and revise their results.

Countries are allowed to revise the data any time an update or correction is necessary. Any substantial revision is justified/explained.

The revision policy for R&D domain is available in the publicly available manual “European Business Statistics Methodological Manual for R&D statistics”.   

All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data. Reported errors are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated.

Data may be published even if they are missing for certain countries and indicators or flagged as provisional or of low reliability for certain countries. A revision/update of the country data, for a justified reason, already disseminated is published once the data are validated and confirmed by the countries. 

In addition to the ad-hoc revisions, the reporting countries have the possibility to revise the GBARD preliminary data, either with final or with improved preliminary figures after their dissemination. The countries can revise one or several years at one time. The data are disseminated only after undergoing the verifications explained in sub-concept 17.1.

The European Union and Euro Area aggregates and components are revised at the same time with the revisions of the country data, to remain consistent with the national data. 

At national level GBARD data are compiled by the national statistical authorities: National Statistical Institutes, Research Councils and Ministries. They are assembled by national authorities using data collected for public budgets. In some countries R&D budget text analysis are supplemented with additional information obtained from the national funding agencies/ministries or through statistical surveys.

Detailed information about the national survey methods applied (Metadata) as well as about the quality of the data (Quality Reports) is provided by the countries to Eurostat. 

There are two cycles of annual data collection, which correspond to the legally established deadlines for GBARD data transmission by the countries: in June (T+6) for preliminary GBARD data and in December (T+12) for final GBARD data. Between these regular cycles Member States can also provide updates and/or revisions of GBARD data.

GBARD data are provided to Eurostat directly by the national statistical authorities of Member States of the European Union, EFTA countries and candidate countries. Data for Japan, the United States and South Korea are extracted from OECD database.

In most countries, national budget data is used as administrative data source for the compilation of GBARD data. In some countries R&D budget text analysis (funder-based approach) are supplemented with additional information obtained from the national funding agencies/ministries or through statistical surveys (performer-based approach).

National aggregated GBARD data are collected by Eurostat in the SDMX standard. The collection is made in close co-operation with the OECD. Countries' data, including confidential data, are provided to Eurostat in basic unit national currency. Derived indicators and aggregates are calculated by Eurostat on the basis on data collected, sometimes together with relevant reference data from Eurostat’s dissemination database.

GBARD data can be accompanied by a number of flags conveying GBARD statistics' specific information to Eurostat and the OECD. Please see the Excel file (XLSX related to GBARD) in Annex 3 for further explanatory notes.

At Eurostat level, GBARD data provided by the national statistical institutes are checked for consistency and plausibility, and compared with previously provided data before being imported in the internal production database. Suspected errors are reported to the national statistical authorities for correction or explanation of any detected anomaly.

Major breaks in series or/and other deviations are flagged by the countries.

Production of GBARD statistics relies entirely on the data sent by the countries. The derived indicators are calculated based on relevant reference data from Eurostat data bases (Eurostat’s dissemination database Database - Eurostat (europa.eu)). Geographical aggregates (e.g. European Union and Euro Area) are calculated by Eurostat as the sum of the national data expressed in a common unit. Where single Member States' figures are lacking, Eurostat may use unpublished estimates to impute country data and hence calculate European aggregates.

European aggregates should be seen as estimates and can sometimes deviate from what is obtained when summing up the national data. This can be due to dissemination of single or several national data sets outside the normal data treatment cycles. It can also be due to possible inconsistencies in national data e.g. the totals have been revised with different cycle than their breakdowns. Within the European aggregates consistency is however always assured in a way that breakdowns sum up to the total.  

Geographical consistency: While the European aggregates usually coincide with the sum of Member States figures, they are updated only at fixed intervals (normally twice a year), which means there may be a difference between the European aggregate and the appropriate sum of national data between these regular updates due to updates/revision of GBARD data at country level.

Related metadata 

R&D metadata. Please note that for technical reasons the GBARD national quality reports are linked to the R&D European metadata.