Spain’s R&D Investment: A Closer Look at Numbers and Ambitions
Spain still trails Europe when it comes to research and development funding. Last year the country allocated 17,250 million euros to R&D in projects, representing 1.4% of GDP, according to the National Institute of Statistics. This marks a 9.4% rise from 2020, a year hit hard by the pandemic. While progress is evident, the level remains well below Europe’s target to dedicate at least 2% of GDP to R&D.
In the broader European context, Spain sits in the middle of the pack among EU partners and is outpaced by several major economies. Germany surpasses 3% of GDP in R&D, France is around 2.3%, and other global technologic powers show even higher commitments, with South Korea at 4.8%, the United States at 3.4%, and Japan at 3.3%.
citizen support
Despite limited spending, the public remains strongly committed to boosting science and research. The latest barometer from the Center for Sociological Studies indicates that about 93% of citizens believe more public resources should be invested in this field. Public support remains the most robust driving force behind R&D in Spain.
In terms of financing, companies contribute about 56% of total R&D investments in Spain. The remainder mainly comes from higher education institutions (around 27%) and Public Administration (roughly 17%). The National Institute of Statistics estimates that R&D activities support roughly 250,000 jobs.
R&D investment directly affects economic productivity and job quality. A Funcas study notes that Spain allocates 44% less effort to innovation compared with the euro area average and that worker training investment sits about 4.2% lower. The author Joaquín Maudos highlights that both economic theory and abundant empirical evidence link investment in R&D and innovation to productivity gains.
The report also points to shortcomings in support for research from both the private sector and public administration. It emphasizes that private-sector innovative activity is lagging, pat ent filings per capita are less than one third of Europe’s level, venture capital investment as a share of GDP is under half the euro area average, and public spending on education, relative to the population aged 16 to 16, trails the EU average.
national plan
The national strategy aims to close the gap with Europe over the coming decade by boosting both public and private R&D spending. The Spain Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy targets an average investment level at or near the EU benchmark, seeking to allocate about 2.12% of GDP to R&D. Based on 2021 GDP, this would translate to roughly 25.6 billion euros. The plan outlines multiple investment streams, including extended advances in health, digitalization, culture, climate action, and citizen security, to accelerate Spain’s innovation trajectory. These efforts are designed to align with Europe’s goals and propel national competitiveness across key sectors.
Note: Figures reflect official estimates and year-over-year comparisons where available, with ongoing assessments to track progress toward the 2% GDP target and related strategic outcomes. Citations include INE for statistical data, CIS for public opinion, Funcas for productivity analysis, and related government strategy documents as of the most recent public releases.