Malta third from bottom in EU research spending — eurostat

Eurostat figures show Malta allocated €73.70 per person to research and development in 2025, placing it third from bottom in the EU. Only Hungary, at €57.40 per person and Romania, at €18.80 per person, ranked lower. The EU average stood at €288.90 per capita, up 57.7% from €183.20 in 2015.

Luxembourg led the bloc at €917.20, followed by Denmark at €627.10 and Germany at €553.50. Malta's government R&D allocation as a share of GDP fell from 0.24% in 2015 to 0.17% in 2025. Total R&D spending, including private investment, stands at just 0.6% of GDP – well below the EU's 3% target.

Across the EU, total government investment in R&D reached an estimated €130.2 billion in 2025, a 60.5% increase on 2015. Bulgaria recorded the largest per-capita rise over that period, up 495.5% from €15.50 to €92.30. Romania was the only EU country to register a fall.

The Nationalist Party issued a statement on Monday, signed by Shadow Minister for Justice, Research and Innovation Joe Giglio and Spokesperson for Research and Innovation George Vital Zammit, describing Malta's position as "the result of a political choice." The PN called for a clear plan with defined targets and adequate funding to strengthen research at the University of Malta and other educational institutions, encourage greater private-sector investment and translate innovation into higher value-added jobs.

"The Government cannot expect to be taken seriously on its Malta Vision 2050 while, at the same time, allowing investment in research and development to remain among the lowest in Europe," the statement said. "A long-term vision is not built on slogans and documents, but through concrete investment in knowledge, talent and innovation." Civil society group Momentum called on the government to immediately double public R&D investment from 0.6% to at least 1.2% of GDP, noting the EU average sits at 2.2%.

The Maltese government has not responded publicly to either the Eurostat data or the PN criticism. Malta's 2025 figures are provisional. Eurostat will review and update data for Malta, Denmark, Bulgaria and Poland in December 2026.