1. Background
Although ranked as a "modest innovator" by the
European Commission and having one of the lowest research and
development ("R&D") intensities among the EU member
states, Romania has targeted substantial growth and improvements in
this sector for the year 2020.
While at the moment Romania dedicates 0.5% of its GDP to R&D
activities, the percentage is set to increase to 2% in the next
thirteen years. Legal changes and fiscal stimulants will also help
to grow R&D activities along with a sustained program of State
aid, with the greater goal of creating an efficient framework for
the establishment of functional public and private research and
development facilities.
Historically, Romanian research centres were developed close to
the major technical universities and in support of the state-run
enterprises. While universities have to some extent retained their
educational capabilities after the 1989 revolution, the wave of
privatizations that hit the
