FRANCE

France is in the Innovation followers group of countries with an innovation performance above the EU27 average but the rate of improvement is below that of the EU27. Relative strengths, compared to the country’s average performance, are in the Enablers (Human resources, Finance and support), and Outputs (Innovators and Economic effects) and relative weaknesses are in Firm activities (Firm investments, Linkages & entrepreneurship and Throughputs).

Over the past 5 years, Human resources, Finance and support and Throughputs have been the main drivers of the improvement in innovation performance, in particular as a result from growth in S&E and SSH doctorate graduates (7.3%), Private credit (4.5%) and Technology Balance of Payments flows (7.1%). Performance in Economic effects has decreased, in particular due to a decrease in Employment in medium-high & high-tech manufacturing (-1.2%) and Medium-high & high-tech manufacturing exports (-1.2%).