Eurostat: high-technology fastest growing EU sector

Date: 19/12/02

EMPLOYMENT in high-tech manufacturing and knowledge-intensive services in the EU grew faster than any other sectors between 1996 and 2001, with Germany leading the pack, according to Eurostat.

A report released on Tuesday (17 December) by the EU's statistical office revealed an average annual employment growth rate of 1% in high-tech and medium-high-tech manufacturing, against 0.5% for manufacturing industry as a whole, and 3% in so-called knowledge intensive services.

Germany, with 11.2% of its total employment in high and medium-tech manufacturing in 2001, remained the member state most specialised in these sectors, followed by Sweden at 7.9%. Luxembourg came in last at 1.2%.

Germany's clear lead in the high-tech sector also applied at the regional level - only one non-German region ranked in the ten leading regions. Stuttgart, with 21% of its employment in the sector, came top, followed by Tübingen (18.1%), Braunschweig (17.8%), Karlsruhe (16.9%) and Franche-Comté in France (16.6%).

As for knowledge-intensive services, particularly high rates were found in Sweden (45.7%), Denmark (42.7%), the UK (40.3%) and the Netherlands (40%). Portugal came last in this sector at 19.1%.

High-tech manufacturing includes the manufacture of office machinery, computers, radio, television, communication equipment, medical precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks. Medium-tech includes the manufacture of chemicals, machinery and equipment, including electrical machinery and transport equipment.

Knowledge-intensive services covers post and telecoms, computer and related activities, research and development - as well as water and air transport, financial and real estate activities, education, health and social work and recreational, cultural and sporting activities.

Employment in high-tech manufacturing and knowledge-intensive services in the EU grew faster than any other sectors between 1996 and 2001, with Germany leading the pack, according to a report released on 17 December 2002 by Eurostat.