Home / Business and Politics / Croatia Advances in the Innovation Ranking

Croatia Advances in the Innovation Ranking

The Commission published this week a fresh European Innovation Success Ranking, which shows an increase in success across the Union in the field of innovation. Since 2014, the success has increased by an average of 12.5 percent, the Commission stated, and a continuous convergence within the EU has been recorded, with results in lower-ranked countries growing faster than those in more successful ones, thus reducing the differences in innovation results among member states. On a global level, the EU is ahead of competitors such as China, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, and India, while South Korea, Canada, Australia, the United States, and Japan are more successful.

Alignment with Priorities

This year’s European Innovation Success Ranking is based on a revised framework that includes new indicators of digitalization and ecological sustainability, thereby better aligning the indicator table with the political priorities of the EU. 'European innovations such as the technologies underlying new vaccines against COVID-19 are crucial in the fight against the current pandemic and its overcoming. The increasing success of the EU in the field of innovation is a very positive sign. By investing in innovation, we are investing in our ability to be technological leaders for a sustainable, digital, and resilient economy and society', commented Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.

Specifically, Sweden remains a leader in this regard, followed by Finland, Denmark, and Belgium, respectively, members whose results are significantly above the EU average. The most innovative region is Stockholm in Sweden, followed by Etelä-Suomi in Finland, Oberbayern in Germany, Hovedstaden in Denmark, and Zurich in Switzerland.

Geographical Distribution

Furthermore, the groups of success are mainly geographically concentrated, with leaders in innovation and most large innovators located in Northern and Western Europe, while most moderate and modest innovators are in Southern and Eastern Europe. Success has increased the most in Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Italy, and Lithuania, with these five member states recording an improvement of 25 percentage points or more.

Four member states improved their results by 15 to 25 percentage points (Belgium, Croatia, Finland, and Sweden), while in eight member states, success improved by 10 to 15 percentage points (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, and Spain). In the remaining ten member states, success improved by up to 10 percentage points. 

{embed_digitalno_izdanje}{/embed_digitalno_izdanje}