Belgium has been recognised as the fifth most innovative nation in the European Union. This recognition has been secured with the success of its public-private partnerships and ability to lure foreign doctoral students, making it one of the region’s five official innovation leaders.
As per the annual European Union publication European Innovation Scoreboard 2023, Belgium’s total innovation performance is 125.8% more than the European average. The country was also reported to have enhanced its innovation performance by 14.1 percent between the period of 2016 and 2023, well above the average of 8.5 percent.
The country managed especially well compared to its neighbours, ranking ahead of major destinations such as Germany, Luxembourg and France, which secured 7th, 8th and 11th positions respectively. Belgium was beaten by the Netherlands, which stood 4th.
The study also showed that Northern European nations are especially innovative, with Denmark ranked as Europe’s most innovative Member, followed by Sweden and Finland.
The study said that Eastern and Central European nations were generally considered the least innovative. Romania secured the EU’s worst creative performance score, followed by Bulgaria, Latvia, Poland, and Slovakia.
Furthermore, as per the study, Brussels is a critical innovation hub for Belgium and, indeed, much of Europe. As per Innoviris, a government organisation funding and supporting research and innovation in the capital city of Belgium, the study shows that Brussels is strengthening its position as an innovation leader in the European region and, as a region, is witnessing the strongest growth in Belgium.
Innoviris’ conclusions were reported by Barbara Trachte, the Brussels-Capital Region State Secretary responsible for overseeing the city’s scientific research and economic transition.
“The Brussels research & innovation ecosystem demonstrates again that it is one of the frontrunners in Europe,” she said. “Our ambition is to consolidate this status by allowing our region to lead the economic transition.”
