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The Impact of R&D tax incentives in Portugal

Author

Listed:
  • Rita Bessone Basto

    (Research Office of the Portuguese Ministry of the Economy and Digital Transition)

  • Ana Martins

    (Research Office of the Portuguese Ministry of the Economy and Digital Transition)

  • Guida Nogueira

    (Research Office of the Portuguese Ministry of the Economy and Digital Transition)

Abstract

The competitiveness of an economy increasingly depends on its ability to innovate. Theory suggests that innovation makes an important contribution to growth both at the firm level and at the national level. Innovative economies that deliver new differentiated products and services and/or develop more efficient production processes are often more productive, more resilient and adaptable in the face of adversity and change, and better able to support higher living standards and thus greater well-being. However, because knowledge is a public good, without government support, private agents are likely to underinvest in R&D, as it usually leads to higher social returns than private ones. In this context, it is strategically important to use public funds to promote innovative activity in firms to achieve the optimal level of R&D investment. Since 2000, indirect public support through tax credits has become more prominent and is currently the main form of public R&D support for most OECD countries. This paper evaluates the impact of SIFIDE, the Portuguese system of tax incentives to corporate R&D investment, on firms’ behaviour. The results show the effectiveness of SIFIDE in promoting investment in R&D, both through the impact of the program on intangible investment and on R&D staff.

Suggested Citation

  • Rita Bessone Basto & Ana Martins & Guida Nogueira, 2021. "The Impact of R&D tax incentives in Portugal," GEE Papers 0158, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Jan 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:mde:wpaper:0158
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    File URL: https://www.gee.gov.pt//RePEc/WorkingPapers/GEE_PAPERS_158.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2021
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. González, Xulia & Pazó, Consuelo, 2008. "Do public subsidies stimulate private R&D spending?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 371-389, April.
    2. Elias Einiö, 2014. "R&D Subsidies and Company Performance: Evidence from Geographic Variation in Government Funding Based on the ERDF Population-Density Rule," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(4), pages 710-728, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Bernard & Rahim Lila & Joana Silva, 2023. "Employment versus Efficiency: Which Firms Should R&D Tax Credits Target?," GEE Papers 0176, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Jul 2023.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D tax credits; Innovation; BERD; SIFIDE; Propensity score matching; Differences-in-Differences.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models

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