This paper presents evidence based on the aggregated results of the last Community Innovation Survey released by EUROSTAT (CIS3) and on a unique database (SIEPI) containing data drawn by the previous CIS at a much finer level of sectoral aggregation. When compared to manufacturing industries, service sectors show a lower technological innovation intensity, although the innovation gap tends to close up when organisational changes and investments in human resources are taken into account. Service firms are more likely to undertake training activities and organisational changes, devote less resources to R&D and put more efforts on other types of innovation activities, make little use of patents, interact less with S&T institutions and much more with traditional suppliers of technology. The innovation behaviours of service firms are far from being homogeneous. The inter-sectoral variance within services is even larger than is found within manufacturing industry, reflecting the presence of distinct, largely sector-specific, innovation regimes. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.