In the EU27, 52% of enterprises from industry and services reported innovation activity between 2006 and 2008. Among the EU27 Member States, the highest proportions of enterprises with innovation activity in this period were recorded in Germany (80% of enterprises), Luxembourg (65%), Belgium and Portugal (both 58%) and Ireland (57%). The lowest rates were observed in Latvia (24%), Poland (28%), Hungary (29%), Lithuania (30%) and Bulgaria (31%).

This information, which comes from the Community Innovation Survey 2008, covering the EU27 Member States, Norway and Croatia, is published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. The survey contains a broad set of indicators on innovation activities of enterprises and provides for the first time information on innovation with environmental benefits.

A third of innovative enterprises cooperate with external partners

Among enterprises with innovation activities in the EU27, 34% cooperated3 with other enterprises, universities or public research institutes in 2006-2008, while the remaining 66% innovated using only internal resources. The highest proportions of innovation co-operation were found in Denmark (57% of all innovative enterprises), Cyprus (51%), Belgium and Estonia (both 49%), and the lowest in Romania (14%), Italy (16%), Bulgaria and Latvia (both 17%).

In the EU27, 11% of innovative enterprises had innovation cooperation with a partner in another EU27 Member State, EFTA or candidate country4, 3% with a partner in the United States and 2% with a partner in India or China. Innovation cooperation with a European partner was highest in Slovenia (35% of all innovative enterprises), Estonia (33%), Belgium (30%), Luxembourg (28%), Finland and Slovakia (both 26%), and lowest in Spain and Italy (both 4%), Bulgaria and Ireland (both 6%) and Germany (7%).

For cooperation with partners in the United States, Sweden and Finland (both 11%), Belgium and Luxembourg (both 9%) had the largest shares. Sweden and Finland (both 7%) and Belgium (6%) had also the highest shares of cooperation with partners in India or China.