Germany to reach Barcelona R&D spending target. - According to the most recent report by the Observatoire des sciences et des techniques (OST), Germany and the United Kingdom are the most active research countries in Europe and accounted for a 5.7% global share of scientific publications (in 2008). They are ahead of France (4.2%) and Italy (3.6%). The US is still the uncontested leader in its field (24.4%), followed by China (8.8%) and Japan (6.8%). In terms of R&D spending, China is now in third place with 9.3% of R&D spending worldwide and is catching up with Japan. South Korea is in sixth place, practically at the same level as France and the United Kingdom. India is in eighth place and on a par with Canada. Every year, Germany, the United Kingdom and France inject more than €130 billion into R&D, almost half the total European level of investment. With a total budget of more than €60 billion, Germany is the most active country in this field and is ahead of France. Except for the Scandinavian countries, Germany will be the first country in Europe to reach the Barcelona target in two or three years' time of being able to invest 3% of GDP in R&D. (I.L./transl.fl)