ANALYSIS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION S SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY

In this article, the authors have explored how the European Union and the Member States are working towards the development of science, technology and innovation, in order to improve the quality of economic activity. In this context, the provisions of the European Union Strategy until 2020, launched in October 2010, are analyzed. The focus is on presenting the data on the spending of the European Union and each Member State in the field of research and development. To be relevant, these data are also compared with the indicators in this area of other high-standard economies such as the U.S., Japan and China. As a result, the largest share of R & D spending in the Gross Domestic Product is recorded by Japan, around 4.0-4.2% in the period 2013-2016. In all EU Member States, spending on research and development increased year-on-year from 2004 to 2014, as shown by graphical representation. Data was provided on the staff involved in this activity in the European Union as well as in each Member State.