Sweden at head of pack on digital research funding
European Commission
Press release
Brussels, 5 June 2014
Sweden at head of pack on digital research funding
While Sweden may be a global leader in R&D investment, the EU as a whole is still lagging behind the Japan and the US: new data shows that 6.6% of the total R&D government support is invested in ICT in the EU, compared to 9.1% in Japan and 7.9% in the US.
Figures from the Digital Scorecard show that more efforts are necessary to meet the goal set by the Digital Agenda for Europe: to reach €11 billion of annual total public spending on ICT R&D by 2020.
Vice-President of the European Commission @NeelieKroesEU, responsible for the Digital Agenda, says: "Public funding in digital research and development is behind many of the great technologies we take for granted. Helping researchers develop their best ideas translates into new products and services, and into jobs. Over the next seven years, through Horizon 2020 we will invest more than €13 billion in ICT. I encourage Member States to step up their efforts to secure our jobs of the future".
EU research leaders
Total public spending: Germany spends €1.2 billion annually on ICT R&D
The 5 biggest public funders of R&D in ICT in 2012: Germany takes by far the lead with €1.2 billion followed by the UK (€0.69 billion - €11 per person), Spain (€0.6 billion- €13 per person). Sweden is next on €0.55bn.
Relative public spending: Sweden spends most per person
Sweden spends far more than any other EU country on a per capita basis, at €58 per person. Sweden spends more than Italy (€0.52bn), yet Italy has 6 times the population (60 million to 9.5 million).
Most ICT-intensive spending - Swedish and European Commission
Sweden and Belgium are investing the most heavily in ICT (15% and 11% of total spend respectively). The European Commission spends 16% of its research budget on ICT research. Around €13 billion the Commission’s Horizon 2020 research programme (2014-2020) #Horizon2020 will go to ICT projects over a seven-year period.
Most EU funding: Germany and United Kingdom
Universities, companies and researchers in Germany (€1.6 billion), the UK (€1 billion), Italy (€0.8 billion), France (€0.7 billion) and Spain (€0.6 billion) receive 60% of the total EU funding and account for 57% of participations during the period 2007-2013.
Examples of projects with German, British, Italian, French, Spanish partners.
Highest EU funding relative to ICT sector: Cyprus and Greece
Cyprus (€24 million) and Greece (€339 million) have relatively small ICT sectors which are growing thanks to relatively high EU funding levels. Examples of projects with Cypriot, Greek partners.
Other top facts:
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-Higher education receives account for 57% of EU ICT research participation
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-StartUps, small and medium businesses account for 16% of participations. Examples of projects with higher education institutions, research organisations and SMEs.
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-SMEs do best in language technology projects (over 30% of participations)
Check the Digital Scoreboard country profiles.
ICT R&D public spending EUR million (2012)
ICT R&D public spending compared to total R&D spending
(2012)
EU funding EUR million (cumulated total 2007-2013)*
EU funding as % of ICT sector Value Added
Austria
AT
177,56
7,2%
274
0,45%
Belgium
BE
275,33
11,1%
322
0,34%
Bulgaria
BG
6,36
6,3%
19
0,16%
Croatia
HR
11,88
3,7%
3
Cyprus
CY
1,33
1,9%
24
0,62%
Czech Republic
CZ
111,09
10,7%
44
0,09%
Denmark
DK
215,86
8,6%
112
0,18%
Estonia
EE
6,50
4,5%
11
0,22%
Finland
FI
214,26
10,4%
174
0,24%
France
FR
535,02
3,5%
774
0,13%
Germany
DE
1214,75
5,1%
1640
0,28%
Greece
EL
35,58
4,9%
339
0,57%
Hungary
HU
21,93
6,5%
45
0,13%
Ireland
IE
65,74
8,6%
129
0,12%
Italy
IT
520,06
5,9%
828
0,21%
Latvia
LV
1,63
4,9%
5
0,10%
Lithuania
LT
6,87
5,7%
9
0,14%
Luxembourg
LU
19,05
6,7%
16
0,10%
Malta
MT
0,07
0,4%
3
0,09%
Netherlands
NL
317,31
6,8%
449
0,24%
Poland
PL
54,88
4,0%
74
0,10%
Portugal
PT
23,32
1,5%
107
0,26%
Romania
RO
16,07
5,5%
23
0,06%
Slovakia
SK
14,46
4,9%
12
0,06%
Slovenia
SL
19,25
10,1%
40
0,48%
Spain
ES
596,59
9,6%
633
0,25%
Sweden
SE
550,97
15,4%
273
0,22%
United Kingdom
UK
689,55
6,2%
1031
0,17%
European Union
EU
5962
6,6%
7412
0,21%
*FP7 Cooperation ICT theme and Capacities (e-infrastructures)
Contacts
Email: comm-kroes@ec.europa.eu Tel: +32.229.57361 Twitter: @RyanHeathEU