Romania, Europe's worst in research

31.1.2019

Question for written answer E-000576-19
to the Commission
Rule 130
Daniel Buda (PPE)

According to data published by Eurostat, Romania only allocated 0.5% of its gross domestic product to research and development in 2017, well below the average of 2.07% of GDP spent at EU level. Over the past 10 years, 21 of the 28 EU Member States have increased the amounts earmarked for research and development, with the highest increases being recorded in Austria and Belgium. However, the amounts earmarked for research and development in six Member States, as a percentage of GDP, have declined over the last decade, including Romania, from 0.51% of GDP in 2007 to 0.5% of GDP in 2017.

As far as the sector of activity to which most of the research and development funds were directed, for most Member States, this was the business sector. In Romania, however, the highest spending for research and development was allocated to the government sector.

What tools does the Commission have at its disposal to support research and development activities with an appropriate budget allocation?