Investment made by Gipuzkoa in 2006 was reflected by the comparison of the expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP, which came to 1.79%, rising by eight hundredths as regards the previous year, according to Eustat data. This indicator came to 1.34% in Bizkaia and 1.22% in Álava, being higher than the Spanish average (1.20%) in all three provinces, but lower than the European average (1.84%).

In 2006 a total of 908 million euros (1.47% of GDP) was invested in the A.C. of the Basque Country on Scientific Research and Technological Development activities (R&D). Of this expenditure, 420 million euros (46%) corresponded to Bizkaia, 363 to Gipuzkoa (40%) and 125 to Álava (14%).

Graph 1: Internal expenditure on R&D in relation to GDP (%)

Source: EUSTAT, INE (Spain) and EUROSTAT (European Union)

The increase in internal expenditure on R&D as regards the previous year was 10%, with Gipuzkoa surpassing this average with a 14% increase, while Álava and Bizkaia grew by 9% and 8% respectively.

Graph 2: Internal expenditure on R&D by execution sector (%)

Source: Eustat

Turning to the execution sector, each province showed a different characteristic. In Álava, expenditure on the Public Administration sector continued to stand out, accounting for 5.7% of total spending in Álava, due to the concentration of diverse bodies dependent on the administration and despite the 6.3% decrease as regards 2005. The business sector and the university, on the other hand, executed 10% more than the previous year.

As regards Bizkaia, it is worth mentioning that in 2006, Administration expenditure increased by 17% compared to 2005. It remained the province with the greatest weight of the university sector (20.6% of the total for Bizkaia), chiefly because the Science Faculties of the University of the Basque Country are concentrated in the campus of Leioa.

In Gipuzkoa, the sector with the least relative weight continued to be the Administration (0.9% of total spending in Gipuzkoa), while the business sector stood out as a consequence of its specific business network and the greater number of technology centres here. The high level of the university sector was also notable, which, with its high proportion of technical faculties, increased resources earmarked for R&D by 20%.

The importance of funding by companies themselves (61%) put all three provinces, in terms of private resources devoted to research, above the state average (47%) and at the level of countries such as Germany, USA, Switzerland and Belgium.

Table 1: R&D indicators by province

*F.T.E.: Full-time equivalent.

**The European Union data corresponds to 2006 or to the latest year available.

Source: EUSTAT, INE (Spain) and EUROSTAT (European Union)

The scientific discipline where the greatest expenditure was made and where the greatest number of people was employed in all provinces continued to be engineering and technology. However, the percentage of this expenditure dedicated by each province ranged from the maximum of Gipuzkoa with 81% and the minimum of Bizkaia with 67%, including the 74% of Álava.

As regards the participation of women in R&D activities, of the total number of personnel in Álava 32% were women and only 29% in Gipuzkoa, while the proportion came to 35% in Bizkaia.

31% of expenditure on R&D in the business sector was carried out in small companies

Companies with less than 50 employees executed 31% of business sector expenditure on R&D. This percentage came to 41% in Álava, fell to 28% in Gipuzkoa, while Bizkaia (31%) coincided with the average of the A.C. of the Basque Country.