Romania’s public R&D spending per capita is only 6.7% of the EU average

Romania spends less, in per capita terms (EUR 17.6) but also as a % of GDP (0.12%), in research and development (R&D), according to Eurostat data. This reflects the priority given by the Government to R&D, an essential engine for economic growth.

The government budget allocations for research and development (GBARD) cover not only research and development funded by the Government and carried out in state institutions but also funding for the other three national sectors - companies, higher education and private non-profit organizations.

In 2022, government budget allocations for R&D at the EU level stood at EUR 262.7 per person, a 47.2% increase compared with 2012 (EUR 178.5 per person).

The highest allocations were recorded in Luxembourg (EUR 661.6 per person), followed at a distance by Denmark (EUR 529.1) and Germany (EUR 517.6).

On the other hand, the EU country with the lowest R&D budget allocations per person was Romania (EUR 17.6 per person).

The largest percentage increases were recorded in Latvia (+208% from €16.1 per person in 2012 to EUR 49.6 in 2022) and Greece (+129% from EUR 66.0 to EUR 151.2).

Sweden registered the lowest percentage increase in this reference period (+4% from EUR 377.7 to EUR 391.6).

In Romania, the increase was +23%. However, as a % of GDP, public R&D funding in Romania almost halved from 0.21% in 2012 to 0.12% in 2022, compared to 0.74% on average in the EU.

(Photo: Blackboard373/ Dreamstime)