Press release 22/12/2011
Activity within R&D in biotechnology provided employment for almost 1500 people in the Basque Country in 2010
Internal expenditure in activities relating to R&D in Biotechnology rose to 87.4 million euros in 2010
In 2010, internal expenditure in R&D activities relating to Biotechnology rose to 87.4 million euros in the Basque Country, according to EUSTAT data. Internal expenditure in biotechnology rose by 8.5% in comparison with expenditure in 2009 and represents 6.4% of total internal expenditure in R&D.
A total of 76 bodies (62 companies, 12 centres that are dependencies of the administration and 2 universities) carried out, partially or in their entirety, biotechnological research activities in 2010. In more than 51 of these bodies, this was the main or exclusive activity, dedicating more than half of their internal expenditure to R&D in biotechnology.
For its part, the figure for personnel employed rose to 1434 people. As full-time equivalents, 1027 people were employed, representing 5.9% of personnel dedicated to R&D and an increase of 14.3% in comparison with the previous year. Amongst this personnel, 797 are EFT researchers, which also represents an increase in terms of the previous year (7.7%).
In is noteworthy that 6 of every 10 people working on a full-time basis within biotechnology are women (63.4%), boasting greater representation here than in the R&D research sector as a whole (33.4%).
63.1% of expenditure in R&D in the Basque Country was implemented by the business sector
By implementing sector, the business sector presents the highest percentage of total internal expenditure in Biotechnological R&D activities (63.1%), followed by Higher Education (31.6%) and Public Administration (5.3%).
The Public Administration finances 67.5% of biotechnological activities
According to the source of funds, in 2010, internal R&D activities relating to biotechnology were mainly financed by the Public Administration (67.5%) and Companies (23.1%). The remainder was financed by funds obtained from overseas sources (4.5%), Higher Education (2.9%) and private non-profit institutions (2.0%).
In terms of the areas of application of the products obtained via biotechnological research, Human Health (75.0%) and the Environment (6.4%) are particularly noteworthy. The other areas D Food, Industry, Animal Health and Aquaculture and Agriculture and Forestry Production) have a similar share of the remaining 18.6%.
Amongst the obstacles that represent a considerable hindrance to the progress of development and the marketing of biotechnological products and processes, attention should be drawn to the following: access to capital, time/cost and access to human resources.
Finally, according to the INE, in 2009 (the last available year), in the Spanish state, expenditure in biotechnological R&D rose to 1414.1 million euros, representing 9.7% of total internal expenditure in R&D activities, with a total of 21,673 people dedicated to these activities, representing 9.8% of overall personnel employed within R&D.
Methodological note:
The statistics for biotechnological research have been gathered as a module appended to Statistics for Research and Development since 2007.
For further information:
Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tlf:+34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: Pilar Vázquez Sancho
Tlf:+34-945-01 75 46 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01