R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD was 0.2358 Percentage of GDP in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
0.2358 Percentage of GDP
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
28th
of 33 countries
All-time high
0.3149 Percentage of GDP
in 2009
All-time low
0.1966 Percentage of GDP
in 2016
Years of data
21
2004–2024

R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Bulgaria, 2004–2024

00.10.20.32004201420242004: 0.315 Percentage of GDP2005: 0.285 Percentage of GDP2006: 0.275 Percentage of GDP2007: 0.245 Percentage of GDP2008: 0.292 Percentage of GDP2009: 0.315 Percentage of GDP2010: 0.26 Percentage of GDP2011: 0.233 Percentage of GDP2012: 0.239 Percentage of GDP2013: 0.244 Percentage of GDP2014: 0.245 Percentage of GDP2015: 0.237 Percentage of GDP2016: 0.197 Percentage of GDP2017: 0.209 Percentage of GDP2018: 0.204 Percentage of GDP2019: 0.223 Percentage of GDP2020: 0.235 Percentage of GDP2021: 0.234 Percentage of GDP2022: 0.217 Percentage of GDP2023: 0.226 Percentage of GDP2024: 0.236 Percentage of GDP

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of GDP.

Analysis

In 2024, r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Bulgaria stood at 0.2358 Percentage of GDP.

The figure is up 4.4% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Bulgaria peaked at 0.3149 Percentage of GDP in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.1966 Percentage of GDP, in 2016.

Bulgaria ranks 28th of 33 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD — Government budgets for R&D and tax incentive support for business R&D (GBARD+GTARD) in Bulgaria, 2004 to 2024.
Year Percentage of GDP Change
2004 0.3148 Percentage of GDP
2005 0.2846 Percentage of GDP -9.6%
2006 0.2751 Percentage of GDP -3.3%
2007 0.2451 Percentage of GDP -10.9%
2008 0.2917 Percentage of GDP +19.0%
2009 0.3149 Percentage of GDP +8.0%
2010 0.2604 Percentage of GDP -17.3%
2011 0.2325 Percentage of GDP -10.7%
2012 0.2394 Percentage of GDP +3.0%
2013 0.2437 Percentage of GDP +1.8%
2014 0.2455 Percentage of GDP +0.7%
2015 0.2372 Percentage of GDP -3.4%
2016 0.1966 Percentage of GDP -17.1%
2017 0.2087 Percentage of GDP +6.2%
2018 0.2038 Percentage of GDP -2.3%
2019 0.2233 Percentage of GDP +9.6%
2020 0.2346 Percentage of GDP +5.1%
2021 0.2335 Percentage of GDP -0.5%
2022 0.2173 Percentage of GDP -6.9%
2023 0.2258 Percentage of GDP +3.9%
2024 0.2358 Percentage of GDP +4.4%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

  • Bulgaria's 0.2358 Percentage of GDP is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.602 Percentage of GDP, 39% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
  • Bulgaria's 0.2358 Percentage of GDP is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7274 Percentage of GDP, 32% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.2877 Percentage of GDP 0.2451 Percentage of GDP 0.3149 Percentage of GDP 6
2010s 0.2291 Percentage of GDP 0.1966 Percentage of GDP 0.2604 Percentage of GDP 10
2020s 0.2294 Percentage of GDP 0.2173 Percentage of GDP 0.2358 Percentage of GDP 5

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 25 Ireland 0.3863 Percentage of GDP compare
  2. 26 Argentina 0.3298 Percentage of GDP compare
  3. 27 Hungary 0.2987 Percentage of GDP compare
  4. 29 Mexico 0.1935 Percentage of GDP compare
  5. 30 Chile 0.1877 Percentage of GDP compare
  6. 31 Malta 0.1799 Percentage of GDP compare

See the full ranking of 46 places →

More economy & growth data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Bulgaria?
R&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd in Bulgaria was 0.2358 Percentage of GDP in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 0.3149 Percentage of GDP in 2009.
What is the lowest r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1966 Percentage of GDP in 2016.
How does Bulgaria rank for r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd?
Bulgaria ranks 28th out of 33 countries with data for 2024.
Is r&d tax expenditure and direct government funding of berd rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD — Government budgets for R&D and tax incentive support for business R&D (GBARD+GTARD). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-tax-expenditure-and-direct-government-funding-of-berd-government-budgets-for-r/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D tax expenditure and direct government funding of BERD — Government budgets for R&D and tax incentive support for business R&D (GBARD+GTARD)
Unit
Percentage of GDP
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
46 places, 973 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

The OECD R&D Tax Incentives database provides a set of indicators that reflect the level and structure of central and subnational government support for business R&D in form of R&D tax incentives and direct funding across OECD member countries and other major economies. This includes time-series indicators of tax expenditures for R&D, based on the latest OECD data collection on tax incentive support for R&D expenditures. Estimates of the cost of R&D tax support at subnational government level are reported whenever such provisions are applicable and relevant data are available. These estimates of the cost of central and subnational R&D tax relief have been combined with data on direct government funding of business expenditure on R&D (BERD), as compiled by National Statistical Offices based on reports from firms, in order to provide a more complete picture of government efforts to promote business R&D. Furthermore, these estimates are combined with data on Government budget allocations for R&D (GBARD) in the broader context of overall budgetary support for R&D activities undertaken by governments. Government budget allocations for R&D include direct funding provided to all sectors, including contributions to R&D programmes abroad. OECD (2019) provides a practical guide to using the OECD R&D Tax Incentives database, describing the R&D tax incentive time series data and highlighting their potential for internationally comparative work through descriptive indicators and econometric analysis.