According to the European Innovation Scoreboard 2018 published by the European Commission, the EU continues to improve its position relative to the United States, Japan, and Canada. However, China is catching up at three times the EU's innovation performance growth rate. Within the EU, innovation performance increased in 18 countries and decreased in 10 countries since 2010. Sweden remains the EU innovation leader, followed by Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, the UK, and Luxembourg. Lithuania, the Netherlands, Malta, the UK, Latvia, and France are the fastest growing innovators.

The Czech Republic is a Moderate Innovator. Over time, performance has declined relative to that of the EU in 2010. Employment impacts and Firms investment are the strongest innovation dimensions. Finance and support and intellectual assets are the weakest innovation dimensions, the country report says.

Source: European Commission, European Innovation Scoreboard 2018, country report