Guidebook for conducting counterfactual impact evaluations of State aid schemes for research, development and innovation

This guidebook describes why quantitative counterfactual impact evaluations (CIE) of research, development and innovation (RDI) State aid policy schemes should be carried out, and how such CIE studies can be implemented. It discusses the motivation for governmental intervention in the market for RDI. For instance, why positive external effects are associated with RDI activities and how financial constraints for RDI arise. The guidebook then explains why impact evaluations of policy interventions are important and presents econometric methods that may be applied in CIE studies. Examples are matching methods, difference-in-difference regressions and regression discontinuity designs, among others. Some existing good practice examples of CIE studies are presented after the description of each econometric method. The guidebook also discusses data requirements for CIE studies, and suggests potential data sources that could be used in the area of RDI, such as firm-level innovation and Research & Development databases, as well as patent and trademark data. It also describes how the design of schemes may be used to identify policy effects. It concludes with suggestions on how to prepare CIEs.