The 2009 EU Survey on R&D Investment Business Trends

Abstract

This report presents the findings of the fifth survey on trends in business R&D investment. These are based on 185 responses of mainly larger companies from the 1000 EU-based companies in the 2008 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard. These 185 companies are responsible for R&D investment worth almost ¿48 billion, constituting over a third of the total R&D investment by the 1000 EU Scoreboard companies in 2008. The main findings of the survey are as follows: \nThe companies¿ R&D investment is expected to grow by 2% annually over 2010-12, half the amount expected according to last year¿s survey, reflecting the ongoing effects of the economic crisis.\nMore than half of the respondents made changes to the management of their R&D investments as a result of the economic crisis. Around 40% of the respondents said there was no change.\nThe companies, all EU-based, expect strong R&D investment increases outside the EU, especially in China and India. The resulting R&D investment outflow implies sustained but smooth changes in R&D investment shares in world regions. \nTax incentives appear to be particularly important for high R&D intensive companies. With respect to last year's survey, these companies also attach a great deal of importance to regulatory intervention to improve product markets and framework conditions, aligning their views with the rest of the sectors. European Technology Platforms appear to be more relevant to low R&D intensity sectors. \nR&D is the most important component of innovation for the companies which invest most in R&D. In low R&D intensity sectors, greater increases in innovation investments are expected.