R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026): R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size was 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE)
Change on year
up 1.8%
Rank
3rd
of 4 regions
All-time high
1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 2024
All-time low
547,948 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 1990
Years of data
30
1990–2024
R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026), 1990–2024
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Full-time equivalent (FTE).
Analysis
In 2024, r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) stood at 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE). That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 49.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) peaked at 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024 and was at its lowest, 547,948 Full-time equivalent (FTE), in 1990.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026), year by year
| Year | Full-time equivalent (FTE) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 547,948 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | — |
| 1991 | 678,018 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +23.7% |
| 1992 | 634,233 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | -6.5% |
| 1993 | 658,181 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 661,246 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 665,352 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 688,427 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 703,187 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 735,528 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 777,221 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 787,496 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 801,223 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 805,467 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 827,170 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 839,208 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 888,906 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 969,662 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +9.1% |
| 2009 | 967,087 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 995,045 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 1.04 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 1.08 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 1.11 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 1.13 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 1.24 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +9.7% |
| 2018 | 1.40 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +13.5% |
| 2020 | 1.46 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 1.53 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 1.58 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 1.66 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 663,569 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 547,948 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 735,528 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 9 |
| 2000s | 851,493 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 777,221 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 969,662 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.14 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 995,045 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 1.40 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 7 |
| 2020s | 1.58 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 1.46 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 5 |
Countries ranked near Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
- 1 United States 1.97 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 1 United States 1.97 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 3 Japan 626,709 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 4 Germany 553,600 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 5 South Korea 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 5 South Korea 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
More economy & growth data for Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
- Gross value added and income by main industry (NACE Rev.2 ) 111.85 Chain linked volumes, index 2020=100 (2026)
- Gross domestic product (GDP) and main components (output, expenditure) 111.85 Chain linked volumes, index 2020=100 (2026)
- Gross domestic product (GDP) and main components per capita 11,000 Current prices, euro per capita (2026)
- Economic sentiment and confidence indicators by sector - monthly data -4 (2026)
- Construction producer prices or costs, new residential buildings 127.6 Index, 2021=100 (2026)
- Economic accounts for agriculture - values at current prices 36,413 Million euro (2025)
- Economic accounts for agriculture - indices 98.56 Index, 2020=100 (2025)
- Economic accounts for agriculture - values at reference year prices 36,944 Chain linked volumes (2020), million euro (2025)
- Purchasing power parities, price level indices, nominal and real 1.03 (2025)
- Harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) - ECOICOP ver.2 - indices 103.25 Index, 2025=100 (2026)
Frequently asked questions
- What is r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- R&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) was 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size recorded in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- The highest recorded value was 1.69 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024.
- What is the lowest r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size recorded in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- The lowest recorded value was 547,948 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 1990.
- How does Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) rank for r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size?
- Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) ranks 3rd out of 4 regions with data for 2024.
- Is r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size rising or falling in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size class and sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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