Luxembourg recorded the highest per capita government spending on research and development (R&D) in the European Union in 2024, according to new data published by Eurostat. The country allocated €759.2 per person towards R&D, well above the EU average of €284.7.
Overall, EU government budget allocations for R&D rose by 3.4% in 2024, reaching an estimated €127.9 billion. This represents 0.71% of the bloc’s GDP and marks a 59.5% increase compared with 2014.
On a per capita basis, the EU average rose by 57% over the same period, from €181.3 in 2014.
Luxembourg was followed by Denmark (€586.8) and the Netherlands (€542.7) as the countries with the highest R&D budgets per inhabitant. At the other end of the spectrum, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary recorded the lowest allocations per person, with €19.1, €38.3, and €58.7 respectively.
All EU member states increased their R&D allocations per capita between 2014 and 2024. Latvia saw the highest relative growth (+313%), followed by Slovenia (+252%), and Lithuania (+197%).
In terms of how funds were distributed, more than a third (35.7%) of EU R&D budgets supported general university funds, used to finance public higher education institutions. A further 16.6% went toward other sources advancing general knowledge, while 9.4% were dedicated to industrial production and technology, 7% to health, and 6.1% to space exploration and exploitation.
