Forschung & Entwicklung und die Finanzierung von Ideen in Europa

Die Autorin dieses Arbeitspapiers vertritt die
Auffassung, dass die nur schwach entwickelte Forschung
& Entwicklung sowie die langsame Wissensakkumulation in
Europa einige der Hauptgründe dafür sind, dass
es Europa in den letzten Jahrzehnten nicht gelungen
ist, die USA bei der Produktivität einzuholen.

In March 2000 in Lisbon, EU heads of state
and government set the strategic goal to become
the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world, capable
of sustainable economic growth with more and
better jobs and greater social cohesion. These
goals were confirmed at the Barcelona European
Council, which added that investment in
European R&D should be increased to 3% of
GDP by 2010. 

This Working Document argues that the
weakness of R&D and the slow accumulation
of knowledge in the EU is probably a major
reason why Europe has failed to catch up with
the US productivity performance during recent
decades. 

But the emphasis of the Barcelona Council on
the spending target for R&D could be
misplaced as the question is not so much one of
increasing the level but rather of enhancing
the efficiency of R&D in Europe. Thus it is
important to understand how countries compare
in their abilities to encourage greater levels
of knowledge, and asks why the countries vary
in their abilities to turn R&D into
innovative and commercial products through the
creation of new, successful companies (and
consequently more employment). 

After an examination of various potential
constraints on innovative entrepreneurship,
efforts towards the enforcement of competition
policy, the introduction of a European patent,
adaptations of the tax systems in favour of
entrepreneurship, a reduction of red tape, the
adaptation of bankruptcy rules and the easing
of finance for new ventures are all welcome
measures. 

Nevertheless, actively subsidising
investment by venture capitalists may not
necessarily deliver the desired results.
Consequently, policy measures aimed at
enhancing the efficiency and productivity of
R&D in Europe should focus on the level of
knowledge of workers and the capacity of
entrepreneurs to translate scientific
excellence into viable technological
innovation.  

To read the full 
CEPS

analysis by 
Laura Botazzi

, please 
click here

.