Increase the Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD)

Category	Percentage
2002	0.3
2003	0.2
2004	0.5
2005	0.5
2006	0.6
2007	0.5
2008	0.5
2009	0.5
2010	0.6
2011	0.7
2012	0.8
2013	0.7
2014	0.7
2015	0.7
2016	0.6
2017	0.6
2018	0.6
2019	0.6
2020	0.6
2021	0.6

The data collected for Research and development (R&D) provides insights on R&D expenditure and R&D personnel categorised into the following institutional sectors: business enterprise (BES), government (GOV), higher education (HES), and private non-profit (PNP). The periodicity of R&D data are every two years, except for key R&D indicators such as R&D expenditure which is transmitted annually by EU Member States through a legal obligation. Data collection is carried out through sample or census surveys from administrative registers while R&D statistics are compiled in line with international statistical classifications such as the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community (NACE Rev.2, 2008), among others. When referring to R&D, as defined by the Frascati Manual (2015), this comprises creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including of humankind, culture, and society, to devise new applications of available knowledge.

Source: Eurostat

Last Updated: February 3, 2026

Gross domestic expenditure percentage rate on R&D in relation to GDP