In the EU27 42% of enterprises¹ from industry and services reported some form of innovation activity² between 2002 and 2004. Among the EU27 Member States the highest proportion of companies with innovation activity in this period was recorded in Germany (65% of enterprises), followed by Austria (53%), Denmark, Ireland* and Luxembourg (52% each), Belgium (51%) and Sweden (50%). The lowest rates were observed in Bulgaria (16%), Latvia (18%), Romania (20%), Hungary and Malta (both 21%).

This information, which comes from the fourth Community Innovation Survey³, covering the EU27 Member States, Norway and Iceland, is released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Commission on the occasion of the launch by the European Commission of the European Innovation Scoreboard 2006 (EIS). The EIS evaluates and compares the innovation performance of the EU Member States. It was first devised in the year 2000, as a result of the adoption of the Lisbon strategy. The EIS 2006 is mainly based on data from Eurostat, including those coming from the fourth Community Innovation Survey.

Innovation co-operation highest in Lithuania, Slovenia and Finland

Innovation co-operation⁴ stood at 26% of all innovative enterprises in the EU27 in 2002-2004. The highest levels of innovation co-operation were found in Lithuania (56% of all innovative enterprises), Slovenia (47%) and Finland (44%), and the lowest levels in Italy (13%) and Germany (16%).

In the EU27, the most common co-operation partners were suppliers (17% of all innovative enterprises worked with them) and customers (14%). Suppliers were the most frequent partners in nearly all Member States, with the highest levels found in Lithuania (45%) and the lowest in Germany, Italy and Austria (7% each). Co-operation with customers in innovation activities ranged from 4% in Spain and Cyprus to 41% in Finland. Innovative enterprises in the EU27 worked together much less often with universities and other higher education institutes (9%) or government and public research institutes (6%). Private-public co-operation on innovation was most frequent in Finland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania, while it was least common in Italy, Malta, Romania and Cyprus.

European Innovation Scoreboard - Ireland

Overall performance

The innovation performance of Ireland is slightly above the EU average, but rather heterogeneous. The situation in innovation drivers is generally good, though broadband penetration (4.4% of broadband lines) and 8% of population participating to lifelong learning are low. The performance in intellectual properties is at the level of the EU25. The most recent available data (year 2004) indicate that the share of exports of high-tech products is almost 30% of total exports. Twelve indicators are available for 2005. The high level of youth education attainment is accompanied by high levels of S&E graduates and population with tertiary education.

Trend

The performance of the group Innovation and entrepreneurship has improved in the long term (1998-2005) as its growth rate is higher than that of the EU25. In particular, innovation expenditures have increased considerably. However, the indicators in the group Applications are declining: exports of high-technology have declined considerably from 39% of total exports in 1999 to 29% in 2004; and employment in high-tech services has slightly reduced (from 4% of total workforce in 2000 to 3.5% in 2005).

In addition, broadband penetration in Ireland has improved less than the EU average since 2004 (from 1.7% to 4.4% in Ireland, from 6.5% to 10.6% in Europe).

*the foreign-owned sector is so dominant in the Irish economy - responsible for 92% of exports in 2006 - that the Irish results are overwhelmingly dependent on decisions made by primarily US multinationals.

Innovation activity and co-operation during 2002-2004

* Data for Czech Republic correspond to the reference period 2003 - 2005
Source: fourth Community Innovation Survey
 

1. Enterprises with less than 10 employees are not covered.
2. The Fourth Community Innovation Survey (CIS 4), conducted in every EU member state collects data on innovation activities in enterprises, namely on product innovation (goods or services) and process innovation. The CIS4 is based on the Eurostat/OECD Oslo Manual 1997. A product innovation is the market introduction of a new or a significantly improved good or service. A process innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved production process, distribution method or support activity for goods or services.
3. The CIS 4 produces a broad set of indicators on innovation activities, innovation expenditure, effects of innovation, public funding, innovation co-operation, sources of information for innovation, main obstacles on innovation activity and protection methods of intellectual property rights.

4. Innovation co-operation measures the active partnership of the observed enterprise with other enterprises or non-commercial institutions such as universities or public research institutes. Co-operation can take place with more than one partner.