European Innovation Scoreboard 2026 Shows Continued Growth in Europe’s Innovation Performance

The European Commission has published the 2026 European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), revealing that Europe's innovation performance continues to improve. Since 2019, the EU's overall innovation score has increased by 11.6 percentage points, reflecting nearly a decade of sustained progress and demonstrating the resilience of the European innovation ecosystem in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

Compared with last year, the EU's innovation performance improved by 1.7 percentage points, although progress remains uneven across Member States. Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands continue to lead the ranking as Innovation Leaders, while Finland retains its strong position. Malta achieved a notable milestone this year by joining the group of Strong Innovators.

The Scoreboard also compares Europe's performance with major global competitors. South Korea remains the world's leading innovation performer, while China continues to record the fastest rate of improvement. This year's edition also includes Georgia for the first time, reflecting the country's participation in Horizon Europe.

Based on 32 indicators, the European Innovation Scoreboard assesses innovation across areas such as education, digital infrastructure, research and development investment, patenting, start-up activity, and wider economic and societal impact. It remains one of the European Commission's key monitoring tools, informing major policy initiatives including the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, the upcoming European Innovation Act, and the European Research Area Act.

2026 European Innovation Scoreboard