EU improves its research performance. Europe is catching up with its main economic rivals - the US and Japan - in innovation performance, according to an EU study. Switzerland is the leader in innovation, followed by Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark and the UK. All six countries have scores well above those of other European countries and of the EU as a whole. EU newcomers had some of the highest rates of improvement - especially Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria - even though their performances remain below the EU average. The trends are highlighted in the 2008 European innovation scoreboard. Based on data from before the financial crisis, this study uses 29 indicators to gauge a country's level of innovation - an essential motor for economic growth and for addressing challenges like climate change. Indicators include the popularity of science and engineering degrees, number of patents, level of spending on research & development (R&D), availability of venture capital for new businesses and strength of high-tech exports. The EU has made large strides compared with five years ago. Although it still trails the US and Japan, the gap is closing, though, with the US, not as fast as before. The EU has also fared relatively well with respect to emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil.
EU improves its research performance.
Europe is catching up with its main economic rivals - the US and Japan - in innovation performance, according to an EU study.
Switzerland is the leader in innovation, followed by Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark and the UK. All six countries have scores well above those of other European countries and of the EU as a whole. EU newcomers had some of the highest rates of improvement - especially Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria - even though their performances remain below the EU average.
The trends are highlighted in the 2008 European innovation scoreboard. Based on data from before the financial crisis, this study uses 29 indicators to gauge a country's level of innovation - an essential motor for economic growth and for addressing challenges like climate change. Indicators include the popularity of science and engineering degrees, number of patents, level of spending on research & development (R&D), availability of venture capital for new businesses and strength of high-tech exports.
The EU has made large strides compared with five years ago. Although it still trails the US and Japan, the gap is closing, though, with the US, not as fast as before. The EU has also fared relatively well with respect to emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil.
EUobserver
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU has made some headway in its bid to make itself more innovative and boost its economy but is still lagging far behind the US and Japan, a new report by the European Commission has shown. The study, released on Thursday (22 January), indicates that the 27-nation bloc has seen a strong rise in the number of graduates in areas such as science and engineering as well as a boost in the availability of internet broadband and the amount of private capital to spend on innovation. The EU is producing more graduates in science and engineering. But investment by businesses in research and development in the union has stagnated while EU companies' expenditure on training and new equipment - seen as an important contributor to growth - is declining.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU has made some headway in its bid to make itself more innovative and boost its economy but is still lagging far behind the US and Japan, a new report by the European Commission has shown.
The study, released on Thursday (22 January), indicates that the 27-nation bloc has seen a strong rise in the number of graduates in areas such as science and engineering as well as a boost in the availability of internet broadband and the amount of private capital to spend on innovation.
The EU is producing more graduates in science and engineering. But investment by businesses in research and development in the union has stagnated while EU companies' expenditure on training and new equipment - seen as an important contributor to growth - is declining.
Could this be the same study, perhaps?
