The European Union has reported a steady improvement in its innovation performance, with an increase of 12.6 percentage points since 2018, according to the latest European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS). The report highlights significant changes in national innovation performance across EU Member States. Notably, Malta and Luxembourg have shown substantial gains over the past year.
Sweden has reclaimed its position as the top innovator within the EU, driven by advancements in lifelong learning and business R&D expenditure. Ireland now leads the Strong Innovators group, showing strengths in cloud computing and SME collaboration. Croatia has moved up to join the Moderate Innovators group following a notable increase since 2018.
However, there was a slight decline of 0.4 points between 2024 and 2025 according to both EIS and Regional Innovation Scoreboard (RIS), emphasizing the need for accelerated action amid global competition.
The RIS reveals regional disparities but also shows long-term improvements and a narrowing innovation gap between regions. While Northern and Western Europe dominate among top-performing regions, Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe are making progress.
The scoreboards assess innovation across various dimensions using multiple indicators. They serve as essential tools for policy initiatives like the New European Innovation Agenda and are expected to play a role in future reforms through the forthcoming Innovation Act.
For more information on these findings, interested parties can contact Thomas Regnier or Nika Blazevic at their provided details.
