1.1. Contact organisation
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
1.2. Contact organisation unit
E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
e-mail contact: ESTAT-SDG-MONITORING@ec.europa.eu
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
25 April 20252.2. Metadata last posted
25 April 20252.3. Metadata last update
25 April 2025The indicator is part of the indicator sets EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 9 on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation which is embedded in the European Commission’s 2024-2029 Priorities under 'A new era for European defence and security'.
SDG 9 calls for building resilient and sustainable infrastructure and promotes inclusive and sustainable industrialisation. It also recognises the importance of research and innovation for finding lasting solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges.
R&D and innovation are major drivers of competitiveness and employment in a knowledge-based economy. Greater investment in R&D provides new jobs in business and academia, increasing demand for scientists and researchers in the labour market.
The indicator can be considered as similar to global SDG indicator 9.5.2 "Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants".
4.1. Data description
The indicator measures the share of R&D personnel in the following institutional sectors: business enterprise (BES), government (GOV), higher education (HES), private non-profit (PNP). Data are presented in full-time equivalents as a share of the labour force. R&D personnel consists of persons engaged directly in R&D, which refers to the creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humankind, culture and society, and to devise new applications of available knowledge. In addition, R&D personnel also includes those providing direct services for the R&D activities, such as R&D managers, administrators, technicians and clerical staff.
4.2. Unit of measure
% of active population.
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year.
4.4. Accuracy - overall
The indicator is produced according to the high-level quality standards of European Statistics. Details on accuracy can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link to related metadata).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
ESS (OECD/ESTAT joint questionnaire)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: European Statistical System (ESS) (RD_P_PERSLF)
Data provider: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, based on data compiled by the national statistical authorities: National Statistical Offices, Research Councils and Ministries 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.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is data provider for the United States of America, Japan and South Korea.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Indicator is updated annually. Complete and updated ESS data release information can be accessed via Eurostat release calendar.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+1 year5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
According to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on European business statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 of 30 July 2020 laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics preliminary data on R&D expenditure, R&D personnel and researchers in FTE are provided to Eurostat 10 months after the end of the calendar year (October) and are released in November.
Final R&D data are provided to Eurostat 18 months after the end of the calendar year (June) and are released in September of that year.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Serbia.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
R&D data are compiled by the countries following the guidelines and definitions outlined in the Frascati Manual (2015) and the Regional Manual. However, the data comparability across countries can be affected by:
- different methods of the survey;
- different methods of the calculation of indicators, in particular for data on R&D personnel expressed in HC. Some countries include into the HC figures only data on internal R&D personnel, and not data on external R&D personnel as well;
- different method of collecting data, i.e. some countries collect data on demographic characteristics (i.e. age, citizenship) of researchers only for internal researchers.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2000.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points.
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
The analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
See table sdg_09_30
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/sdi/overview
Copyrights: Eurostat Copyright/Licence Policy is applicable.
