Enterprises spending more money on Research and Development abroad

In 2013 enterprises in the Netherlands spent 8 percent more than in 2012 on Research and Development (R&D) abroad. This constitutes an increase of over 100 million euros, reaching 1.6 billion euros. The R&D expenditure on in-house developments in these enterprises came to about 7.1 billion euros. In total, enterprises and institutions together spent 12.7 billion euros on in-house R&D, up 2 percent on 2012. The expenditure grew fastest in institutions, namely by 5 percent. Statistics Netherlands released this information today in the Dutch language publication Internationaliseringsmonitor (2015 second quarter).

R&D income from the rest of the world and R&D spending abroad (enterprises)

More Dutch R&D money spent abroad

Two thirds of the R&D expenditure by enterprises is spent on in-house R&D. This comes down to 7.1 billion euros. Apart from this, enterprises can outsource R&D to other companies within or outside the Netherlands, which constitutes 18 and 15 percent respectively of their total R&D spending. Whereas enterprises hardly saw an increase in R&D spending on R&D carried out in-house from 2013 on 2012, their  R&D spending on third parties abroad soared by over 8 percent to about 1.6 billion euros in 2013. This is counterbalanced by a billion euros in R&D income from the rest of the world. In 2013 R&D income from the rest of the world was slightly lower than in 2012, so the growth in R&D spending abroad was not compensated by a matching increase in income from the rest of the world.

Public institutions spent more on R&D in 2013

Apart from the enterprises in the Netherlands, there are also institutions that spend money on R&D. They mostly carry out their R&D in-house. The in-house R&D in public research institutions rose by over 5 percent, the sharpest increase on 2012. In 2013 enterprises spent 7.1 billion euros on in-house R&D, which is a quarter of a percent more than in 2012. R&D expenditure by enterprises and institutions together increased by 231 million from 2013 on 2012 to reach 12.7 billion euros. A 2 percent rise.

R&D spending by enterprises and institutions (in-house)