17  While many Member States expect to increase their spending in this area, the EU will fall short of its overall target of 3% of GDP by 2010. Increasing investment in research and development is not, of course, an objective in itself. If we want to see an impact on growth, it is also the return on that R&D that matters.
Project-driven business strategies will be affected by the reduction in global liquidity and the slowing of global economic growth. Islamic financial institutions will need to plan and prepare for these more challenging operating conditions.