Romania Innovation index

Innovation Index: Romania’s Position and Progress

Romania is actively working to enhance its global competitiveness by focusing on innovation, research, and development. Key indicators of this progress include the Global Innovation Index (GII) rankings, R&D expenditure, and patent activity.

In the Global Innovation Index 2024, Romania is ranked 48th among 133 economies, reflecting a slight improvement from previous years.

​​​​Romania’s investment in research and development (R&D) remains relatively low compared to other European countries. In 2023, R&D expenditure accounted for just 0.52% of GDP, placing Romania among the lowest in the EU. This figure highlights a significant funding gap when compared to the EU average of 2.2% in the same year.

Patent Activity: Measuring Innovation Output

Romania’s patent activity provides valuable insights into the country’s innovation ecosystem. While progress is evident, there is still room for growth compared to leading innovation-driven economies. In 2023, Romania recorded a total of 1,082 patent applications, representing a slight 0.2% increase compared to the previous year. Of these, 859 applications were filed by residents, marking a 0.8% growth, while 223 abroad applications experienced a slight decline of 2.2%. Globally, Romania ranks 44th in total patent applications.

Source: WIPO IP Statistics Data Center, Country Report Romania 2023.

When looking at per capita and regional rankings, Romania filed 45.1 resident applications per million inhabitants, placing the country 42nd globally. Meanwhile, resident applications per 100 billion USD GDP stood at 111, ranking Romania 57th in this category. Within Eastern Europe, Romania holds a respectable 5th position, contributing 3.1% to regional filings.

Romania has also made progress in PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) applications, particularly in renewable energy. Between 2021 and 2023, the country filed 43 PCT publications related to renewable energy, a 13.2% increase that places Romania 53rd globally. However, PCT applications per million inhabitants remain modest, at just 2.3, ranking Romania 57th.

Source: Global Innovation Index 2024 Romania.

Patent filings in Romania are concentrated in a few key technical fields. Measurement leads with 12.1% of the total filings, followed by food chemistry at 8.8%, medical technology and transport at 6.9% each, and electrical machinery, apparatus, and energy at 6.8%. Other fields collectively account for 64.9% of the filings. In terms of key applicants between 2021 and 2023, Romania’s most active entities include Universitatea Dunarea de Jos Din Galati, with three applications, and Chifor Research S.R.L., Institutul National de Cercetare Dezvoltare Pentru Inginerie Electrica Icpe-ca, Pax Elevans S.R.L., and Universitatea Politehnica Din Bucuresti, each with two applications.

Romania’s national IP office data reveals additional trends in both resident and non-resident patent activities. In 2023, Romania recorded 889 total applications, marking a 5.5% increase and placing the country 55th globally. Resident applications accounted for 817, representing 91.9% of all filings, while non-resident applications amounted to just 72, or 8.1%. Despite this progress, the number of patent grants fell to 314, reflecting a significant 13.7% decrease. The Romanian IP office currently manages 27,498 patents in force, ranking 40th globally, with an average of 23.4 applications per examiner and a grant delay of 52 months.

Romanian inventors are increasingly targeting international markets. The United States is the top foreign destination for Romanian patent applications, accounting for 24.2% of the total. Germany follows with 12.5%, Japan with 10.8%, China with 10.4%, and the Republic of Korea with 6.3%.

Romania’s patent activity continues to grow, particularly in technical fields such as measurement and food chemistry. Resident applications are on the rise, but the country must focus on increasing its PCT filings and encouraging more innovation through supportive policies and incentives. With greater investment in research and development, as well as stronger intellectual property protections, Romania has the potential to further strengthen its innovation output and improve its global competitiveness.

Resources 

• European Commission – R&D expenditure
• Eurostat – EU spent €381.4 billion on R&D in 2023
• WIPO Country Profile Romania 2023
• Global Innovation Index 2024 – Romania