European investments in research and development are not growing. According to the statistics announced today by Eurostat, in 2006 (latest available statistics) the 27 members of the EU spent in this area 1.84% of their Gross Domestic Product, that is, the same rate as the previous year. In 2000, it was 1.86%. As an absolute value, it means 210 billion euros in one year. The results are contained in the 2008 edition of the report on "Science, technology and innovation in Europe", which "considers a wide range of indicators in line with the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy": direct investments in research and development, expenditure for staff, patents, equity, foreign trade of high-tech products. However, the statistics for each country provide a different picture: "The rate of investments in this area is 3.82% in Sweden, 3.45 in Finland and 2.51 in Germany", while the lowest statistics are those of Cyprus (0.42%), Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Between 2000 and 2006, the highest per cent increase occurred in Austria and Estonia. Investments made by Germany, France and the United Kingdom, added together, "account for 60% of the European total".
