Page 5 - COMPASS - COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 2022 - COUNCIL OF COMPETITIVENESS IN GREECE

“COMPASS” REPORT 2022 – COUNCIL ON COMPETITIVENESS OF GREECE 3

esearch-driven technology and innovation are fundamental pillars on which our
country must build in order to improve its competitiveness, while also laying sound
foundations for social prosperity. According to EU data, two thirds of productivity
Rimprovement in Europe in recent decades is the result of investment in research
and development. Moreover, as also demonstrated by Horizon programmes, every €1 invest-
ed in research may result in a GDP increase of up to €11.

As regards Greece, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2022, the country
rose from 58th position in 2019 to 47th in 2022, with its improvement in the Scientific Infra-
structures sub-factor being one of the key contributors to the climb. Furthermore, according
to the Global Innovation Index 2022, Greece ranks 44th among 132 countries, an improve-
ment of three positions over 2021. This is due to improved Innovation Outputs (from 52nd
CHRISTOS
position in 2021 to 49th this year). Moreover, the European Innovation Scoreboard 2022
DIMAS
shows Greece as having the third highest improvement rate in the period 2015–2021, al-
lowing us optimism for the coming years. We find particularly significant the highest annual
DEPUTY MINISTER OF
DEVELOPMENT AND increase of the R&D Intensity Index 2020 (+18%) compared to 2019, which reached a historic
INVESTMENTS, IN CHARGE OF high at 1.51% of the GDP.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Government initiatives and financing tools alike have contributed to these positive develop-
ments, aiming at establishing more effective links between the country’s high-level research
output and innovation. At the Ministry of Development and Investments, through the
General Secretariat of Research and Innovation, we have implemented initiatives and reforms
to expand the research activities of Greek scientists and further promote innovation and
entrepreneurship, providing an appropriate mix of incentives.

In the context of showcasing the potential of the Greek research community, we utilised
NSRF resources to promote new initiatives, such as innovation clusters and competence
centres, as well as the launch of new—and further development of already existing—tech-
nology transfer offices (TTOs) at research institutions. Additionally, we provided substantial
tax benefits to businesses to encourage them to up their investments in R&D by legislating
an increase of the super-rebate rate from 130% to 200%, for certification of corresponding
expenditures. In fact, in the field in question, Greece boasts one of the most competitive
frameworks in the EU. Among the most significant institutional interventions there stands
out the new legislative framework for establishing and operating spinoffs, aiming to capital-
ise on the research results and knowledge generated by research centres and universities.