EU-27 spendeerde 1,84% van het BBP in 2006 aan Onderzoek & Ontwikkeling (en)

STAT/08/34

10 March 2008

Science, Technology and Innovation in Europe

EU27 R&D spending stable at 1.84% of GDP in 2006

5% of the workforce in the EU27 are scientists and engineers

In 2006, the EU27 spent 1.84% of GDP on Research & Development1 (R&D). In 2005, R&D intensity (i.e. R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP) was also 1.84% and in 2000 it was 1.86%. In 2006, R&D expenditure in the EU27 amounted to more than 210 billion euro, compared with 170 billion euro in 2000.

Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities publishes the 2008 edition of Science, Technology and Innovation in Europe 2. This publication covers a wide range of indicators in line with the strategic goals set out by the European Council in the Lisbon strategy aiming to turn the European union by 2010 into the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. The indicators include R&D expenditure, R&D personnel, patents, venture capital, high-tech external trade and other indicators related to high-tech and knowledge intensive sectors of the economy.

In this News Release Eurostat presents a limited selection of the data available in the publication.

R&D intensity varies from 0.4% of GDP in Cyprus to 3.8% in Sweden

In 2006, the highest R&D intensity in the EU27 was registered in Sweden (3.82% of GDP) and Finland (3.45%), followed by Germany (2.51%), Austria (2.45%) and Denmark (2.43%). The Member States with the lowest R&D intensity were Cyprus (0.42%), Romania (0.46%), Bulgaria (0.48%) and Slovakia (0.49%).

The highest increases in R&D intensity between 2000 and 2006 were found in Austria (from 1.91% to 2.45%), Estonia (from 0.61% to 1.14%) and the Czech Republic (from 1.21% to 1.54%).

Together, Germany (58 billion euro in 2006), France (38 bn) and the United Kingdom (32 bn in 2005) spent around 60% of total R&D expenditure in the EU27.

Highest proportion of scientists and engineers in Belgium, Ireland and Finland

In 2006, 4.8% of the labour force in the EU27 worked as scientists or engineers3. The highest shares of scientists and engineers were found in Belgium (7.9%), Ireland (6.8%), Finland (6.7%), Sweden (6.5%) and Denmark (6.0%), and the lowest shares in Portugal (2.7%), Bulgaria, Austria and Slovakia (all 3.0%).

R&D expenditure and scientists and engineers in the EU27

• * 

  Italy, Portugal and United Kingdom 2005

** Luxembourg 2005

: Data not available

b Break in series

e Estimated value

p Provisional value

Highest employment in high- and medium high-tech manufacturing in Lombardia and Stuttgart

In 2006 in the EU27, 12 million workers were employed in medium high-tech manufacturing4 and 2.3 million in high-tech manufacturing4, the equivalent of 5.5% and 1.1% respectively of total employment.

The leading region in the EU27 and EFTA in terms of employment in high- and medium high-tech manufacturing was Lombardia in Italy with 448 000 people employed in 2006, followed by Stuttgart in Germany (377 000) and Cataluña in Spain (286 000). Germany dominated the top 20 list with eleven regions, followed by Italy (5) and France (2).

Stuttgart had the highest relative employment in high- and medium high-tech manufacturing with 19.9% of total employment, followed by Karlsruhe (17.2%) also in Germany. In the top 20 list, Germany had eleven regions, including the eight highest positions, followed by the Czech Republic (4), France and Hungary (2 each).

Top 20 EU27 and EFTA regions*,

employment in high- and medium high-tech manufacturing, 2006

• * 

  No data for Liechtenstein and Bulgaria.

Highest employment in KIS in Ile de France and Lombardia

In 2006 in the EU27, 70 million people were employed in knowledge intensive services5 (KIS) and 7 million in high-tech KIS5, the equivalent of 32.6% and 3.3% respectively of total employment.

The regions in the EU27 and EFTA with the highest number of people employed in KIS were Ile de France in France (2.1 million people employed) and Lombardia in Italy (1.4 million). The dominance of German regions was less apparent in terms of those employed in KIS than high-tech manufacturing: Germany had five regions in the top 20 list, followed by Spain, France and the United Kingdom (3 each).

In relative terms the highest employment in KIS were found in Stockholm in Sweden with 56.7% of total employment and in Inner London (56.6%) in the United Kingdom. Sweden had five regions in the top 20 list, followed by the United Kingdom (4).

Top 20 EU27 and EFTA regions*,

employment in knowledge intensive services (KIS), 2006

• * 

  No data for Liechtenstein and Bulgaria.

: Data not available

Exceptions to the reference year: 2005 for PL and CH.

The EU goal in Research and Development expenditure, as set by the Lisbon summit strategy, is to achieve by 2010 a R&D intensity of at least 3% for the EU as a whole. Please note that the R&D expenditure and R&D intensity figures presented in this News Release take into account the most recent data available in the Eurostat database.

Eurostat, " Science, technology and innovation in Europe" 2008 edition, can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format. Paper copies can be ordered through the Eurostat website at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat .

Scientists and engineers includes people working in specific occupations listed in "Physical, mathematical and engineering" occupations (ISCO-88 COM code 21) as mathematicians or civil engineers and in "Life science and health" occupations (ISCO-88 COM code 22) as biologists or medical doctors.

High- and medium high-tech manufacturing includes all employment in the following industries: chemical and chemical products (including pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products), office machinery and computers, radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus, medical, precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks, aircraft and spacecraft, machinery and equipment n.e.c., electrical machinery and apparatus n.e.c., motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers and other transport equipment. High-tech manufacturing includes only pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products; office machinery and computers; radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus; medical, precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks and aircraft and spacecraft.

Knowledge intensive services (KIS) includes all employment in water transport; air transport; post and telecommunications; financial intermediation; real estate activities; renting of machinery and equipment and of personal and household goods; computer and related activities; research and development; other business activities; education; health and social work as well as recreational, cultural and sporting activities. High-tech KIS includes only post and telecommunications, computer and related activities as well as research and development.

Eurostat news releases on the Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat