Portugal spent €3.56 billion on research & development in 2021
The European Union invested €328 billion in R&D last year, representing an increase of 6% compared to the previous year, according to Eurostat.
Portugal invested 1.7% of its GDP in research and development (R&D) in 2021, or €3.56 billion, Eurostat revealed on Tuesday. The country was below the European Union average (2.3%).
The European Union invested €328 billion in R&D last year, representing an increase of 6% compared to the previous year, according to the European statistics office.
Concerning R&D intensity, i.e. R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP, there was a decrease from 2020 to 2021 (from 2.31% to 2.27%), which could be justified by “GDP rebound in 2021 after the significant drop in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains Eurostat.
The highest R&D intensity in 2021 was recorded in Sweden (3.35%), followed by Austria (3.22%) and Belgium (3.19%). In contrast, Romania (0.48%), Malta (0.65%) and Latvia (0.71%) stand out as the countries that invested the least in R&D.
