Scientific excellence for EU policy

Delivering on our mission

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides independent, evidence-based science to support EU policymaking to positively impact society. We deliver on our mission through trusted, collaborative, and influential science. 

Explore the facts and figures that show how our work moves from research to real-world impact—from the scale of our science to the strength of our collaborations, to the uptake of our evidence in EU policymaking. 

JRC publication are among the most-cited globally.  

One in four JRC publications ranks in the global top 10% of cited research between 2020 and 2024—evidence that our science is recognised and trusted by the international research community. 

The JRC stands alongside internationally recognised institutions in terms of highly cited research output. 

Compare the JRC’s share of highly cited publications with other leading science-for policy institutions. 

Collaboration is a cornerstone of the JRC’s approach—our researchers actively engage with external partners to enhance the reach and relevance of our science. 

JRC scientists collaborated with colleagues from around 3 500 organisations across 138 countries between 2020 and 2024.

We are committed to open science: 93% of JRC publications where a JRC researcher is the first or corresponding author are open access.

When comparing the ratio of policy citations in EU policy documents to total scholarly output, the JRC shows a higher ratio than other organisations. This demonstrates JRC’s direct relevance to decision-making. 

Our science supports EU policies such as the European Green Deal, the Digital Services Act, the AI Act, and the European Democracy Shield.