The 2002 Barcelona European Council, which reviewed progress towards the Lisbon goal, concluded that Europe as a whole should aim to reach a target of spending 3% of GDP on R&D by 2010, up from 1.9 % in 2000. They also called for an increase of the level of business funding, which should rise from its current level of 56 % to two-thirds of total RTD investment, a proportion already achieved in the US and in a few European countries.
The Commission in its communication dealing with the Barcelona objective has recognised that strengthening European RTD and innovation systems is essential in realising the Lisbon strategic goal. The role of RTD as a driving force for a competitive economy is linked to RTD investment as well as more efficient ways of using existing resources of physical and human capital (innovations).
The National R&D Action Plan (Note 13) Building Ireland’s Knowledge Economy proposed that Ireland should aim to reach 2.5% of GNP by 2010, with two-thirds of the increase coming from enterprise. This Action Plan represented the beginning of a more structured approach to building Ireland’s National System of Innovation, which the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation aims to fully realise.
Note 13 Report of the Interdepartmental Committee, Building Ireland’s Knowledge Economy, July 2004
