Press Release: State aid: Spring Scoreboard shows Member States spending more to boost Europe’s competitiveness

State aid to support expenditure in research, development and innovation has steadily increased in the last 10 years to support job creation and increase Europe's competitiveness.

The European Commission's 2011 spring Scoreboard, shows R&D&I State aid stood at 0.09% of GDP in 2009, the last year for which figures are available, against 0.05% in 2005. Of the total R&D expenditure in the EU in 2009 (2.01 % of GDP), one third (0.65 % of GDP) was publicly funded but only 13% (€10.6 billion) of public funnding was qualified as state aid.

2011's edition of the Spring State aid Scoreboard, focuses on support to achieving the Europe 2020 objectives through smart, sustainable and inclusive initiatives of general common interest in areas such as research, development and innovation (R&D&I), environmental protection, regional development or training.

State aid measures in these fields can correct market failures, improve the functioning of markets and thus enhance European competitiveness.