PIE Report: Poland ranks fifth weakest in EU for innovation

6 August 2024

Poland has been ranked as the fifth weakest country in the European Union (EU) for innovation, according to the latest report from the Polish Economic Institute (PIE). The European Commission’s Innovation Scoreboard places Poland in the lowest tier of innovation performance, categorized as “Emerging Innovators.”

The report highlights several challenges contributing to Poland’s low innovation ranking, including a lack of intellectual assets and limited output from the scientific community. Key issues identified are a low percentage of PhD graduates, insufficient numbers of patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), and a shortfall in advanced design applications. The proportion of the population with tertiary education is also noted as a concern.

In contrast, Denmark and other Scandinavian countries lead the EU in innovation, with Switzerland also recognized as a highly innovative European nation. Denmark’s success is attributed to robust sales of innovative products and significant investments in ICT skills development.

The report categorizes EU countries into four innovation tiers: Innovation Leaders, Strong Innovators, Moderate Innovators, and Emerging Innovators. While Denmark, France, Germany, and the Benelux countries fall into the “Strong Innovators” category, Poland, along with most Central and Eastern European nations, is classified as an “Emerging Innovator.” Notable exceptions in the region include the Baltic states—Estonia and Lithuania—and the Czech Republic, which have achieved “Moderate Innovator” status.

Poland’s aggregate innovation index stands at 72.5 this year, compared to the EU average of 110 and Denmark’s leading score of 150. Poland’s research system attractiveness rating is 42.7.

The Innovation Scoreboard, published annually by the European Commission, assesses and compares the innovativeness of EU member states and other competitors. The report evaluates 32 indicators related to research and development, innovation potential, and the knowledge economy, offering insights into national innovation systems and guiding policy development.