European R&D as a Percentage of GDP Remains Stagnant, Still Well Above Australia's. (January 24, 2009)

Between 2000-2006 research spending as a percentage of gross domestic product by the European Union (EU) hovered around 1.84%. That remains distant from its goal proclaimed in Lisbon in 2000 of 3% by 2010 (see http://ec.europa.eu/research/era/publication_en.cfm) . It appears that it is the contribution of the private sector to R&D is lagging.

Nevertheless, it still remains significantly above that of Australia's which the Australian Bureau of Statistics pegged at 1.59% in its 2008 report.

The report notes that countries that started with a low research intensity have improved markedly. China  rose dramatically from 0.90% to 1.42%.

On the other hand 10 countries decreased, including France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. True the overall amount of research spending increased but did not keep pace with GDP which also grew. The U.S. research intensity fell, from 2.74% to 2.61%.

But Japan  increased its R&D commitment from 3.04% to 3.39% of GDP, while Korea moved from 2.39% to 3.23%.

Janez Potočnik, the EU research commissioner commented: "In a time of crisis, it is not the moment to take a break in research investments and in innovation. They are vital if Europe wants to emerge stronger from the economic crisis."