Eco-innovation index in Slovakia and EU Countries: progress and future perspectives

Abstract

Eco-innovation encompasses a broad spectrum of activities aimed at reducing environmental impact and improving resource efficiency, and it plays a crucial role in supporting sustainability. This paper analyzes the development of the Eco-Innovation Index between 2015 and 2024, focusing on countries that ranked among the leaders during this period and those with values below the EU-27 benchmark-based level. The results show a gradual improvement in eco-innovation performance in Slovakia, although there is still considerable room for progress compared with the leading EU countries. One section is devoted to the development of Slovakia's Eco-Innovation Index in comparison with the EU-27 index value and examines the five basic dimensions of this index: eco-innovation inputs, eco-innovation activities, eco-innovation outputs, resource efficiency outcomes, and socio-economic outcomes. The assessment reveals significant differences between Slovakia and the EU-27 performance level, with Slovakia remaining substantially below the current EU-27 index value in several dimensions. The final part of the paper focuses on the food industry in Slovakia, which is an important sector of the national economy and shows increasing relevance for eco-innovation development. Key future trends in the Slovak food industry in the context of eco-innovation include next-generation consumer influence, technological evolution, sustainability achievement, and economic impact. The paper provides an overview of the current state and future perspectives of eco-innovation and identifies areas with potential for further improvement and growth.