Switzerland outperforms EU member states in innovation

Switzerland has confirmed its top position on the 2014 Innovation Union Scoreboard, outperforming all EU member states.

Taking into account European countries outside the EU, Switzerland also confirmed its position as the overall innovation leader by being the best performer in as many as nine indicators, particularly in international scientific co-publications, non-R&D innovation expenditures, community trademarks and new doctorate graduates.

Switzerland’s innovation weaknesses include a relative lack of collaboration between innovative SMEs (9.4% compared to 11.7% for the EU) and exports of knowledge-intensive services (25.1% as opposed to 45.3% for the EU).

The Scoreboard revealed that innovation performance in Switzerland has been increasing since 2012. However, the country’s lead over the EU has been declining. In 2008, the Swiss innovation index was 57% higher than that of the EU but was 51% in 2013.