R&D spending was lifted, albeit from a low base, by grant money paid out at the end of 2016, the KSH noted, cited by national news agency MTI. R&D spending came to 1.35% of GDP in 2017.

Spending on R&D activities themselves, accounting for about 85% of overall R&D spending, was up 17%, while spending on investments in the R&D sector jumped almost 54%.

Businesses accounted for just under two-thirds of total R&D spending. Institutions of higher education and budget-funded research institutes accounted for equal shares of the rest.

Close to 61,000 people worked in R&D in Hungary last year, up 12% from 2016. About 70% were researchers and the rest were assistants.