Global MR Industry Tops US$14 Billion 3/10/2000 The total market for market research worldwide in 1999 was worth US$14,643 million (€ 13,744 million) according to latest ESOMAR findings. This represented an increase of US$1,233 million or 8.3% over the previous year. The European Union accounted for 39.2% of the total world market and Europe as a whole 42.3%. The United States accounted for 37.1% of the total world market and Japan 7.3%. The European share of the total world market declined from 43.5% in 1998 to 42.3% in 1999. This was primarily due to the fall in the value of the euro against the dollar over the year. In terms of euros the market in Europe rose by 10.7% over the level reported in 1998 - a comparable rate of growth to that achieved in the USA (10.1% in terms of dollars). However, the rate of growth in the European Union calculated in euros continues to decline as the market matures. In 1996/97 the rate of growth stood at +15%, which in 1997/98 fell to +12% and in 1998/99 to +10.5%. The apparent high rate of growth in Japan (18.9%) was largely a result of the appreciation of the yen against the dollar. In local currency the rate of growth was a much more modest 3.4%. The improvement in Japan was mirrored by the recovery of the Asian market for research in general with an overall increase in the region of 18.8%. As this is a preliminary report, changes in the information might be included with the full details of the results of the 2000 ESOMAR Study of the Worldwide Market for Market Research which will be published later in the year.