Publications Towards a European Research Area: Science, Technology and Innovation - KEY FIGURES 2000

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Publications : Background Information

Published by the European Commission, Research Directorate, B-1049, Brussels, Belgium 2000, ISBN 92-828-9755-9 Available from OOPEC

This publication contains a wide range of statistical data concerning background information to RTD activities in the EC. It is the third edition of the annual Key Figures booklet on European science and technology indicators. Since the last two editions, in 1998 and 1999, there has been an intensification of the debate about research in Europe, which has led to a burgeoning of interest in policy circles in the use and development of indicators to assess Europe's effort and performance in science and technology (notably in relation to the European Research Area and the bench-marking of research policies).

It should be emphasised that this publication is not intended as a bench-marking of national research policies, as foreseen in the Council Resolution of 15 June 2000. However, by illustrating the range of policy-relevant indicators that can be produced from existing statistics, it is hoped that the report may serve as a useful contribution to this process that will facilitate further reflection on the bench-marking of research.

The structure of Key Figures 2000 tries to reflect the policy issues currently being debated, notably those in the European Research Area Communication.

In Part 1, an attempt is made to compare the performance of European countries, the USA and Japan in terms of growth employment and competitiveness, and to understand the contribution made by research, technological development and innovation.

Part 2 presents indicators relating to countries' investment for the knowledge based economy and covers expenditure on education, R&D and innovation, as well as venture capital investment.

Part 3 addresses the important issue of human resources in science and technology and sets out comparative indicators of graduates of the higher education system and numbers of researchers, as well as some indicators of mobility and attractiveness based on statistics currently available.

Moving on from these issues of investment and human resources, Part 4 compares performance in terms of scientific and inventive outputs, innovation and high-tech trade, along with some indicators of the performance of the European Union's regions.

Finally, Part 5 presents available indicators on the pattern of co-operation within the European Research Area and between Europe and its main international partners.

As indicated in the Preface:

Faced with the challenges of the new knowledge-driven economy, the European Union is entering a phase of economic and social transformation. Increases in physical investment are no longer sufficient to ensure sustainable growth, employment and social cohesion, and the role of research, innovation, knowledge and human capital is becoming critical. Confronted with these changes, Europe's policy makers have been looking at new methods of co-operating to ensure a more coherent strategic direction and to identify best practices.

The year 2000 has been particularly significant in this respect. January 2000 saw the submission of the European Commission's communication entitled Towards a European Research Area which was intended to initiate a debate on the organisation and performance of research in Europe. The ERA communication contributed to a number of discussions in the following months in the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council of Research Ministers which adopted a Resolution on 15 June 2000. This calls on the Commission, in collaboration with the Member States, to develop indicators and a methodology for the bench-marking of national research policies in relation to four key themes: human resources in RTD, public and private investment in RTD, scientific and technological productivity, and the impact of RTD on economic competitiveness and employment.

Implementing these activities will require a sound information base of pertinent and comparable indicators, complemented by analyses, which can help to guide strategic research policy issues and monitor progress in implementation. The services of the European Commission have over the last few years developed S&T statistics and indicators relevant for European policy makers .It is hoped that this work can now be seen as a useful input to the new process of bench-marking research policies.

As indicated by the following contents, this information should also be of value to many of those involved in European RTD activities, whether as practitioners or as administrators or regulators.

Preface

Introduction

Table of Contents

Part 1 Growth, Employment and Competitiveness

Part 2 Investing for the Knowledge Based Economy

2.1 Investment in Education

2.2 Investment in Research and Development

2.3 European Enterprises' Investment in Innovation

2.4 Venture Capital Investment

Part 3 Human Resources, Mobility and Attractiveness

3.1 Researchers in Science and Engineering

3.2 Higher Education Outputs

3.3 Mobility and Attractiveness

Part 4 European Performance in Scientific Knowledge, Invention and Innovation

4.1 Scientific Performance

4.2 Inventiveness Performance

4.3 Innovation Performance

4.4 High-tech Trade Performance

4.5 Regional Performance

Part 5 The European Research Area: Co-operation Patterns

5.1 Scientific Co-operation

5.2 Co-operation in Innovation

5.3 Community Co-operation

Glossary

Definitions

Country codes

Symbols used

Contacts

For copies

• Office for the Official Publications of the European Communities (OOPEC) / LUXEMBOURG