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EU companies increased R&D investment in 2019

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2020

Abstract

Type
Science Policy
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2020

Companies in the EU have increased their investment in R&D for the ninth consecutive year, but levels remain below the global growth rate. In the 2018–2019 time frame, EU companies invested 4.7% more in R&D. This growth is driven by the automobile, health, and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors.

In the face of an ever-increasing global technological race, the top 2500 industrial players worldwide increased their R&D investment by 8.9% in 2018–2019. EU companies account for 17 of the top 50 corporate R&D investors. The growth in investment by EU-based companies is, however, outpaced by their US and Chinese counterparts: the former increased their R&D investment in that time frame by 10.3%, the latter by 26.7%.

These are some of the main findings of the 2019 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard (doi:10.2760/04570), published by the European Commission in December of last year. It provides an annual in-depth analysis of the most recent investment trends of the worlds’ leading industrial R&D players contributing to understanding the positioning of the EU companies in the global landscape.

Mariya Gabriel, EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, says, “Companies based in the EU keep increasing their R&D investments, but much more is needed in the global race for technological leadership in deep-tech and sustainability. We will launch a fully fledged European Innovation Council to invest in high-risk companies creating new markets. If we want Europe to drive the transition to a climate-neutral economy, we need to redouble our efforts.”

EU-based automotive companies have contributed most to R&D growth in the EU and prepare for the future with a broad patent portfolio to reduce vehicle emissions (behind Japan) and for autonomous vehicles. With aims to meet the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs), the report published, “Toyota had the most green patents but the top 25 global companies by number of green patents comprise EU firms such as Bosch, Volkswagen, Airbus and Rolls-Royce.” Furthermore, to meet the SDGs, industrial R&D contributed to technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, nanotechnology, graphene, and improved clean energy generation and storage technologies.

The EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard has been published annually since 2004 by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and the Joint Research Centre.