A survey of 186 EU-based companies, which together in 2013 invested €60 billion ($80 billion) in R&D, showed that the firms expect R&D investment to grow on average 4.2% annually from 2014 to 2016. The highest expected increases in spending are by aerospace and defense, health care equipment and services, and fixed-line telecommunication firms, with 7.8%, 6.4% and 4.0% annual growth, respectively. Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology companies expect to increase R&D investment by an average of 4.4% annually. The surveyed firms conduct 21% of R&D activities outside of the EU, with investment greatest in the US and Canada, and China, at 8% and 4%, respectively. Their R&D investment in India is 2%. Over the next three years, the companies expect their R&D investments to grow in the EU, India, China, and the US and Canada by 3.1%, 11.7%, 8.7% and 8.1%, respectively.

Source: European Commission