Used worldwide, the OECD Frascati Manual underpins global R&D data collection and informs policy decisions by offering a consistent and comparable framework. The OECD and other international organisations rely on it to publish and analyse R&D statistics.
The OECD Frascati Manual was first published in 1963. The current edition (2015) contains improved guidelines reflecting recent changes in the way R&D takes place and is funded and the wider use of R&D statistics and definitions. It provides chapters dedicated to the practical aspects of collecting R&D data in different sectors, as well as guidance on capturing different aspects of public support for R&D such as tax incentives.
The Frascati Manual is based on the experience gained from collecting R&D statistics in both OECD and non-member countries. The 2015 edition is the result of the collective work of the OECD Working Party of National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators (NESTI), involving more than 120 experts from nearly 40 countries and international organisations. The revision took place over two years and was supported by an open online consultation and discussions with various OECD committees. The manual has been endorsed by the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP) and the OECD Committee for Statistics and Statistical Policy (CSSP).
The manual owes its name to the Italian town of Frascati, where, in 1962, the OECD NESTI group first agreed on a common approach to measure and report statistics on R&D. The manual has been revised on six occasions to address new challenges and take into account emerging user interests.