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Published: 26 November 2009

Research and development expenditure EUR 6.9 billion

Approximately EUR 6.9 billion was expended on research and development (R&D) in Finland in 2008. Business enterprises accounted for EUR 5.1 billion, the higher education sector for just under EUR 1.2 billion and the rest of the public sector for nearly EUR 600 million of this. Good EUR 600 million more R&D expenditure than in the previous year was recorded in statistics. The vast majority (94%) of the growth came from the business enterprise sector, but R&D expenditure also rose somewhat in the other examined sectors. In 2009 R&D expenditure is estimated to remain more or less on level with 2008.

In 2008, the GDP share of R&D expenditure rose to 3.72 per cent from the 3.5 per cent level where it has stood for the past few years, while in the current year the share is estimated to be 3.92 per cent. For a long time now Finland’s GDP share of R&D expenditure has been the second highest after Sweden among the EU countries, and even among other countries the only one ahead of it is Israel.

In 2008, a total of 79,300 persons were employed in research and development tasks, which is 200 fewer than one year previously. The number of R&D personnel increased by just under 800 in business enterprises, but decreased by around 500 in both the higher education sector and the public sector. Seventy per cent of the R&D personnel were researchers and R&D engineers, while the rest were engaged in expert or support tasks related to R&D activity. One in three of the R&D personnel was a woman. The number of person-years spent on R&D went up by 500 from the year before and totalled 56,700. However, the number of person-years only increased in business enterprises.

R&D expenditure by sector and GDP share of R&D expenditure in 2002–2008 and estimate for 2009

Year	Business enterprises ****		Public sector ***		Higher education sector		Total	GDP share of R&D expenditure **
	EUR million	%	EUR million	%	EUR million	%	EUR million	%
2002	3 375,1	69,9	529,7	11,0	925,6	19,2	4 830,3	3,36
2003	3 527,9	70,5	515,4	10,3	961,7	19,2	5 005,0	3,43
2004	3 683,5	70,1	530,1	10,1	1 039,8	19,8	5 253,4	3,45
2005	3 876,9	70,8	554,7	10,1	1 042,1	19,0	5 473,8	3,48
2006	4 107,8	71,3	574,2	10,0	1 079,2	18,7	5 761,2	3,45
2007	4 513,4	72,3	564,7	9,0	1 164,6	18,7	6 242,7	3,47
2008	5 102,0	74,3	588,5	8,6	1 180,6	17,2	6 871,1	3,72
2009*	5 021,8	73,3	594,8	8,7	1 233,7	18,0	6 850,2	3,92
* estimate based on survey responses and other calculations ** GDP 2006–2008 preliminary data of Statistics Finland, GDP 2009 forecast by the Ministry of Finance *** Incl. PNP (private non-profit sector) **** Revised reporting practices of enterprises explain around EUR 350 million of the growth between 2007 and 2008

Source: Research and development 2008, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Tero Luhtala (09) 1734 3327, Ari Leppälahti (09) 1734 3237, Marianne Kaplas (09) 1734 3421

Director in charge: Leena Storgårds

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Appendix tables

• Business enterprises: R&D personnel, person-years and expenditure by industry and size of enterprise in 2008 (Excel) (26.11.2009)

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Updated 26.11.2009