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In a time of groundbreaking changes and technological revolutions, it is of great importance for Germany to remain innovative and establish future-oriented business models. A key question is whether Germany can manage the balancing act of preserving old strengths while promoting forward-looking enterprises. In this ZEW Monthly focusing on the topic of “Innovation”, various policy instruments addressing this issue are examined.
The tax credit for research and development is very well received in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. With nearly 400 applicants, it proves to be an asset for Germany’s innovation landscape, enabling many innovative projects that would otherwise not be possible. On the other hand, the subsidies for plug-in hybrids turned out to be environmentally damaging, as it encouraged the purchase of large and heavy vehicles without leading to actual emission reductions. To be able to better evaluate research and innovation funding in Germany, ZEW Mannheim will work on a high-quality database as part of the EVALDAT research project.
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↗ EVALUATION OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FUNDING
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| The evaluation of government funding is essential for evidence-based, effective and efficient policymaking. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, ZEW and the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Donors’ Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities in Germany) are creating a high-quality database for the evaluation of German research and innovation funding as part of the new EVALDAT research project. An evaluation dataset is set to be made available by the end of 2025, representing a new milestone in the evaluation of public research and innovation funding in Germany.
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| More about the project
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↗ R&D TAX CREDIT IS AN ASSET FOR GERMANY’S INNOVATION LANDSCAPE
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| The German tax credit for research and development (“research allowance”) has been well-received in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. This is the result of a study jointly conducted by ZEW and the Center for Economic Policy Studies (CWS) at the Leibniz University Hannover, on behalf of the German Chemicals Industry Association (VCI). Ulrike Zimmer, director of Science, Technology and Environment at VCI, says: “The R&D tax credit is an asset for Germany’s innovation landscape. We anticipate additional positive impacts from the Growth Opportunities Act, providing a tailwind for our industry.”
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| More about the study
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↗ SUBSIDIES FOR PLUG-IN HYBRIDS FOUND TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY DAMAGING
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| The discontinuation of subsidies for plug-in hybrids in Germany on 1 January 2023 has proven to be a wise climate policy decision. A recent study by ZEW shows that ending these subsidies will save more than 167,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, which equals the yearly emissions of over 53,000 households. The subsidies for plug-in hybrids were predominantly used for the purchase of relatively large and heavy vehicles, which, as evidenced by the gathered data, are rarely recharged and rarely put into electric mode. Consequently, their contribution to emission reduction remains rather insignificant.
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| More about the study
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| | ↗ INNOVATION SURVEY: MIXED PICTURE DESPITE SOCIAL INNOVATIONS
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| In 2022, innovation expenditure of enterprises in Germany recorded a notable increase of 6.8 per cent compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 190.7 billion euros. However, certain key indicators of the country’s economic innovation strength have shown a decline, such as the share of companies that have introduced innovations, known as the innovator rate. These are some of the main findings of the Innovation Survey 2023, which ZEW conducts annually on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. In this year’s survey, ZEW took a closer look at one particular aspect – social innovation. The central finding is that, between 2020 and 2022, one in two companies introduced social innovations, i.e. novel, viable and sustainable solutions to socially relevant challenges.
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| | How to read the graphic:
In 2022, innovation expenditure soared to a record-breaking 190.7 billion euros. In the services sector, expenditure for innovation grew by 10.6 per cent, outpacing the 5.4 per cent growth in expenditure in the industrial sector. Nevertheless, at 137.6 billion euros, innovation expenditure in the industrial sector remains nearly three times higher than in the services sector at 53.1 billion euros.
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↗ RESEARCH AWARD 2023: UP-AND-COMING ECONOMISTS HONOURED
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| For the eleventh time, the Volksbank Kurpfalz Stiftung and ZEW presented the “Zukunft der Arbeitswelt” (“Future World of Work”) Research Award – an annual accolade for outstanding dissertations and master’s theses in economics from the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. The prizes for the best dissertation and the best master’s thesis went to Dr. Paul Berbée and Luka Längle, respectively.
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| More about the 2023 research award
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↗ 2022/23 ZEW SUSTAINABILITY REPORT PUBLISHED
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| ZEW signed the Business Initiative Sustainability (WIN) Charter of the State of Baden-Württemberg back in 2018 and is committed to the charter’s guiding principles. A yearly report has been published ever since, with the 2022/23 edition recently being released.
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| More about the report
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↗ EMPLOYMENT COMMITMENTS STRENGTHEN PRIVATISED COMPANIES
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| Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ‘Treuhandanstalt’ (THA) agency was entrusted with privatising thousands of East German companies that were previously state-owned in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). A joint study by ZEW, the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) reveals that companies whose new owners committed to minimum levels of employment at the time of the purchase contract performed significantly better than those without such a binding commitment.
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| | | The German government has agreed on a new power plant strategy, focusing on the construction of new hydrogen-ready gas-fired power plants. The total power plant capacity is targeted to reach ten gigawatts and plants are to be converted to hydrogen operation between 2035 and 2040. Professor Achim Wambach, president of ZEW, supports the decision but emphasizes the need for a revision of the electricity market design.
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| Read the full opinion piece
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| | | | UPCOMING | |
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| | | MaCCI ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024
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| The Mannheim Centre for Competition and Innovation (MaCCI), a joint initiative between ZEW and the University of Mannheim, is pleased to announce its 2024 Annual Conference. The conference takes place on 14 and 15 March in Mannheim, Germany. The aim of the conference is to provide a platform for exchange and discussion on topics in competition- and innovation-related research between academic researchers and practitioners in public authorities, legal counsel, and economic consultancies.
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| More about the conference
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| | | | → CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS ON THE CONTENT | |
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| | | | | ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research
L7, 1 · 68161 Mannheim
Phone: +49 (0)621/1235-01
E-mail: zewmonthly@zew.de
Website: www.zew.de
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| | | | | Executive Directors:
Professor Achim Wambach, PhD; Thomas Kohl
Chair of the ZEW Supervisory Board:
Ministerial Director Dr. Hans Reiter
Registered Office: Mannheim
Local Court Mannheim HRB 6554
USt-IdNr.: DE188318292
Commitment to Data Protection
Detailed Legal Note
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