Report of the Federal Government on Research

The Federal Government follows a mandate of the German Parliament to submit a research balance sheet every four years. The balance was provided by Federal Ministries under coordination of the BMBF. The reports of the Länder were given in their own responsibility.

Results from Bundesbericht Forschung

Different from the expenditures for science, that in terms of statistics in Germany encompass the public expenditures for teaching and training, research expenditures only sum up resources spent on research and development (R&D). The spending for research rose by 9% to 55,4 billion € between 2000 and 2004, the better part of it due to research expenditures in industry, that rose 11%. The percentage of industry in research financing amounted to 69,4% in 2004 (38,4 bill. €), rising slowly from 67,6% in 2000. The share of total R&D spending on gross national income was 2,5% in 2004.

In 2006, the Federal Government increased its expenditures for R&D, compared to 2005, by 609 mio. € or 6,8% leading to a total of 9,6 bill. €. Until 2010 the R&D expenditures of state and industry shall reach 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP). To reach this goal, the Federal Government increases its R&D expenditures until 2009 by an additional six billion euros during this legislative period.

According to the modified assignment of responsibilities between government departments in 2005, BMBF is responsible for only 57% of all federal R&D expenditures, compared to two thirds in the budget structure before. Compared to previous publications, the reduction of funding fields leads to higher percentages in the remaining funding fields and funding priorities. Increases clearly above average are resulting in funding fields coal and other fossile energy, renewable energy resources and efficient energy use, computer science, materials science and materials for future technologies, applications in micro systems technology, physical and chemical technologies and large-scale research facilities for basic research.

The Federal Government has bundled and coordinated R&D in a new way in 2006. The German government's High-Tech Strategy published in summer 2006, for the first time gives a comprehensive national strategy encompassing all departments with research duties to lead Germany to the top in important future markets and to coordinate research funding and the improvement of basic conditions for research. Until 2010, the R&D expenditures shall reach 3% of GDP. Concrete measures are taken in 17 technology areas to improve the transfer research results into applications. New priorities are set in energy research, health research, nano technology, information and communication technology and security research.

The Future of Bundesbericht Forschung

"Bundesbericht Forschung" 2006 is the last report in its current form. A new independent and international "Expert Commission Research and Innovation" will advise the Federal Government in research, innovation and technology policy and from 2008 on will bi-annually publish an expertise on the state of research, innovation and the technological performance in Germany. The Federal Government also bi-annually will produce a "Federal Report Research and Innovation" ("Bundesbericht Forschung und Innovation") that gives an overview on the research, technology, and innovation policy of the Federal Government, the Länder and the EU. This new "Federal Report Research and Innovation" will refer to the Expert Commission's expertise and will replace the current "Bundesbericht Forschung".