Romania sets ambitious research funding goal: 2% of GDP by 2020

Romania aims to quadruple the portion of GDP allotted to research funding by 2020, according to Viorel Dobrescu, a director within the Ministry of European Affairs. In order to comply with the provisions of the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Romanian government aims to drastically change the state of research funding. The plan is for an adjustment to be made from the mere 0.48 percent of GDP last year to a much more generous 2 percent of GDP within the next seven years. “The Europe 2020 strategy sets forth ambitious objectives for the research and development domains,” stated Dobrescu at a conference of the National Prognosis Commission (CNP). “Romania wants to reach 2 percent of the GDP in research expenses by 2020. We are now far from this target, as last year, the allotted funds were 0.48 percent of the GDP", added Dobescu. The Europe 2020 Strategy aims to transform the EU into a “smart, sustainable and inclusive economy”, as stated by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission (EC). Having adhered to a series of general objectives pertaining to employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/energy to be reached by 2020, EU member states must set their own targets in these areas. Dobrescu pointed out that Romania still has a long way to go in competitiveness, industrial policy, health strategy and innovation performance. "Romania ranks 27th in point of performance in the domain of innovation, close to Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania, actually 50 percent below the EU average level," noted Dobrescu. To make up for these shortcomings, a review of priorities and the setup of coherent strategies in all domains that generate competitiveness are crucial. It is based on these elements that the EU budget for 2014-2020 and the Romanian strategy underpinning the Europe 2020 program will be built. Ioana Jelea, ioana.jelea@romania-insider.com (photo source: sxc.hu)