young researchers surronding a robot in a lab.

In 2024, the total government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) across the EU stood at an estimated €127 916 million, equivalent to 0.71% of GDP. This indicates a 3.4% increase compared with 2023 (€123 675 million) and a 59.5% increase compared with 2014 (€80 175 million).

This information comes from data on government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) published by Eurostat today. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article.

In 2024, government budget allocations for R&D at the EU level stood at €284.7 per person, a 57.0% increase compared with 2014 (€181.3 per person). 

The highest allocations among EU countries were recorded in Luxembourg (€759.2 per person), followed at some distance by Denmark (€586.8) and the Netherlands (€542.7). On the other hand, the lowest R&D budget allocations per person were in Romania (€19.1 per person), Bulgaria (€38.3) and Hungary (€58.7). It should be noted as well that changes in GBARD per capita may reflect population changes of the countries.

Government budget allocations for R&D, 2024 (€ per inhabitant). Bar chart. Full access to the database in the link below.

Source dataset: gba_nabsfin07

Between 2014 and 2024, all EU governments increased their budget allocations for R&D in terms of € per person. The largest percentage increases were recorded in Latvia (+313%, from €19.1 per person in 2014 to €78.9 in 2024), Slovenia (+252%, from €78.3 to €275) and Lithuania (+197% from €42.7 to €123). 

More than a third of R&D budget goes to general university funds

In terms of distribution by socioeconomic objectives, 35.7% of the GBARD was directed to the general advancement of knowledge, primarily financed by a public block grant known as public general university funds (GUF), used by public higher education institutions to support their activities. Additionally, 16.6% of the GBARD was dedicated to the general advancement of knowledge from sources other than GUF, 9.4% to industrial production and technology, 7.0% to health, and 6.1% to exploration and exploitation of space.  

Distribution of government budget allocations for R&D, 2024 (%). Horizontal bar chart. Link to full access database below.

Source dataset: gba_nabsfin07

For more information

Methodological notes

  • Government budget allocations for R&D are all allocations assigned to R&D in central (federal) government, regional (state) and local (municipal) government. They, therefore, refer to budget provisions, not to actual expenditure, which may differ. Local government budget funds may not be included if their contribution is not significant or if the data cannot be collected.
  • GBARD data are broken down by socioeconomic objectives in accordance with the nomenclature for the analysis and comparison of scientific programmes and budgets (NABS 2007).
  • Data flagged as provisional will be reviewed and updated by the countries in December 2025.


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