Federal Report 2020
In 2018, the state and the private sector together invested a total of 105 billion euros in research and development. That is equivalent to 3.13 per cent of Germany’s gross domestic product. Here is a round-up of the main points laid out in the latest Federal Report on Research and Innovation, which the Cabinet has now adopted.
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Germany is a centre of innovation and is in a very strong position compared with all other countries worldwide. Thanks to the consistent support given to research and innovation, Germany is the fourth most research-intensive economy in the world. This is illustrated in the Federal Report on Research and Innovation 2020, which the Cabinet has now adopted.
The Federal Report on Research and Innovation is published once every two years to provide detailed information about the research and innovation policies of Germany’s federal and state governments. It also comments on the key points of the report of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI). The Commission presented its most recent report to the government on 19 February 2020.
Research and innovation open up opportunities for the future,
At present protecting health in Germany and worldwide is posing a very special challenge. But additional efforts are also needed in other areas, such as global climate change mitigation, enhancing technological sovereignty and competitiveness in Germany and in Europe, and achieving equitable living conditions. Research and innovation, which upholds the precautionary principle, makes a key contribution here.
The German government is opening up opportunities for the future through education, research and innovation, as well as encouraging positive innovation development. In the High-Tech Strategy 2025 the German government sets a spending target for research and development equivalent to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2025. This target is to embrace spending of federal and state governments as well as the private sector. In 2018, the equivalent of 3.13 per cent of Germany’s GDP was invested in research and development, making Germany one of the world’s most research-intensive economies. In its 2020 report, the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation also underlines this achievement.
COVID-19 research swiftly stepped up
"Germany’s research and innovation system can respond swiftly and effectively to unforeseen events, because we have rigorously focused on research and development over the last few years," said Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek. Most recently this has been demonstrated by the measures taken to stem the COVID-19 pandemic. Research efforts in Germany were extended and accelerated at the start of 2020 in response to the global spread of the novel coronavirus and the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The focus was initially on measures to stem the pandemic and provide the best possible treatment.
The development of vaccines, drugs and testing procedures is a key area that the German government is pushing. The major importance of international cooperation on research, on sharing research data and on cooperation among all research institutes worldwide working on the pandemic becomes apparent in this.
The long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot yet be gauged. Research and innovation can, however, make a decisive contribution to putting the dynamic trends that are still surrounded by great uncertainty on a sound basis in terms of data and knowledge. It is also important in this to better understand the causes of the disease and to expand global knowledge on the factors behind the increase in new infectious diseases. Germany’s research and innovation system is in a good position to make a significant contribution.
Digitalisation and technological sovereignty, pharmaceutical research and the development of climate-friendly technologies are the imperatives of the coming weeks and months, said the minister. "The Federal Report on Research and Innovation 2020 shows us that we are on the right path. That is why we must focus even more than before on innovation."