In 2022, the European Union made significant strides in research and development (R&D) investment, as revealed by the latest data published by Eurostat. With a total R&D expenditure of €352 billion, representing a 6.34% increase from the previous year, and a remarkable 48.52% surge compared to a decade earlier (€237 billion in 2012), the EU demonstrates a robust commitment to fostering innovation and progress.
When analyzing R&D intensity, defined as R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP, the data indicates a minor decrease, from 2.27% in 2021 to 2.22% in 2022. Despite this dip, it’s noteworthy that four EU member states reached R&D intensities surpassing 3% in 2022. Belgium took the lead with an impressive 3.44%, followed closely by Sweden (3.40%), Austria (3.20%), and Germany (3.13%).
Conversely, eight EU nations reported R&D intensities below 1%, reflecting diverse landscapes of innovation investment across the region. Romania registered the lowest R&D intensity at 0.46%, with Malta, Latvia, Cyprus, and Bulgaria closely behind at 0.65% and 0.75%, respectively. Additionally, Ireland, Slovakia, and Luxembourg showed R&D shares nearing 1%.
Over the past decade, the EU witnessed a 0.14 percentage point rise in R&D intensity. Among the most significant increases were observed in Belgium (1.16 pp), Greece (0.77 pp), and Croatia (0.69 pp). Conversely, eight countries experienced declines in R&D intensity during the same period, with Ireland leading the decrease at -0.6 pp, followed by Finland (-0.45 pp), and Estonia (-0.35 pp).
Within the EU, the business enterprise sector continued to dominate R&D expenditure, accounting for 66% of the total R&D spending, totaling €233 billion in 2022. The higher education sector followed with 22% (€76 billion), trailed by the government sector at 11% (€37 billion), and the private non-profit sector at 1% (€5 billion).
The data source for these insights is the provisional publication of R&D expenditure by Eurostat, reflecting a mere glimpse of the comprehensive findings detailed in the Statistics Explained article.
For in-depth exploration and further information, readers are invited to access the Statistics Explained article on R&D expenditure and the thematic section on science, technology, and innovation from the Eurostat database. Methodological notes are crucial in understanding the nuances of the data; for additional queries, the contact page is readily available.
This comprehensive overview of the 2022 R&D expenditure landscape in the EU encapsulates a rich tapestry of innovation and investment patterns, laying a foundation for continuous progress and potential in research and development.
Market Capital Research 