R&D spending up 4% in 2016, Noord-Brabant is biggest spender

Noord-Brabant leads the way in R&D. Photo: Michiel1972 via Wikimedia Commons

Spending on research and development by companies, institutions and higher education reached nearly €14.3bn in 2016, roughly 4% more than in the previous year and the highest ever reported in the Netherlands, the national statistics office CBS said on Friday.

The CBS said the highest R&D spending by private companies took place in Noord-Brabant province near Eindhoven. Dutch companies also spent more on R&D in their operations abroad.

R&D spending as a percentage of the GDP rose to 2.03%, slightly higher than in 2014 and 2015 (both 2%). The government wants R&D to reach 2.5% of GDP.

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