In April, Spain released its 2013 National Reform Programme document outlining the country’s research goals for 2020. Despite the government’s claim that its budget for 2013 civilian research spending was not cut, data from the government’s Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology show that the budget was cut by €67 million ($88 million). The Programme reduced Spain’s original funding target of research comprising 3% of its GDP, up from the current 1.4%, to 2%.The Programme stated that this goal will be met by increasing private R&D spending from 0.6% of GDP to 1.2% by 2020 by measures including public-private financing of research programs and more tax benefits for R&D spending. According to Spain’s national research plan for 2013–2016, released this year, the government intends to lower the share of public research spending from 46% to 41% by 2016. According to the Spanish Bioindustry Association, it is difficult for firms that invest in R&D to secure credit. This marks the fourth year in a row that research has been cut in Spain.

Source: Nature