Plan for Scientific Research and Technological Development and Innovation 2000-2003
Plan for Scientific Research and Technological Development and Innovation 2000-2003
What, in short, is the National Plan for Scientific Research and Technological Development and Innovation (2000-2003) to be approved this month? What's new about this Plan compared to the previous ones?
The main novelty of the Plan is that it is not just a scientific research plan, but a Plan for Scientific Research and Development and Technological Innovation (rather than a R&D plan, it is a R&D plan). That is, the Plan is committed decidedly to the participation of companies and the generation of scientific and technological knowledge that provide solutions to the needs of companies, so that the money for research and technological development (R&D) results in a social and economic improvement. This is the first great novelty. Secondly, it should be noted that it puts in one direction all the resources of the State Administration. Previously there was a National Plan, but it was limited to the public sector, universities and public research institutions. The current Plan covers all the actions of all Ministries and all those involved in the innovation process: companies, universities, technology centers, consulting, users, etc.
Have regional administrations participated in the development of the Plan?
The Autonomous Communities play a decisive role in the institutional framework. The Inter-Ministerial Commission on Science and Technology (CICYT) is supported by several special committees. One of them is the General Council of Science and Technology, a collaborative unit between the State and the Autonomous Communities. All reports and drafts presented by the State Administration have been discussed in this General Council, in which consensus has been worked on the objectives, structure and means of the new Plan. This agreement will be ratified in the collaboration agreements signed between the State and the Autonomous Communities.
What economic resources will the Plan have?
Next year's budget plans to allocate 507 billion pesetas to research and development and technological innovation. In addition, it undertakes that in the coming years the section on R&D&i in the state budgets will grow 2 or 3 points above the general growth of the state budgets. This means that it takes priority over the rest of the budget items.
Is there any initiative or measure in the Plan aimed at increasing collaboration between business and university research to put both types of research in the same direction?
Yes. In this Plan, first of all, it has sought to prioritize and orient R&D actions towards specific socio-economic objectives, that is, it has prioritized the funding of research on scientific, scientific-technological issues and sectors. This prioritization will allow better orienting public actions towards the economic and social problems of our society. In addition, tools will be included to facilitate collaboration. For example, so-called collaboration agreements. Joint grants will be granted to groups and business groups of universities and public research bodies for collaborative projects.
Until now this was impossible, since universities and public research bodies had to address the Ministry of Education and Science, or the Ministry of Culture, and companies, according to the subject, the Ministry of Industry, Agriculture or Promotion. And it was very difficult to synchronize different aids for different recipients.
Now, in this new type of projects, there will be a single entity receiving the application for assistance that will vary depending on the subject, and not the applicant. For example, in projects on industrial technologies, the Ministry of Industry will support companies and university groups carrying out joint projects. In this way we want to achieve a better integration between the world of science and the world of technology.
The objectives of the Plan are expected to increase annually the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) destined for R&D by 0.1%, reaching in 2000 1% in 2003 1.3%. Given that the average percentage of countries currently in the European Union is 2%, is it not a relatively modest target?
First, it should be noted that this effort is not exclusive to the Administration. On the contrary, R&D spending is the sum of what the Administration does and what companies do. Along with the effort of the administration, it is necessary for companies to do so too. To this end, we have established very favorable tax incentives to encourage the participation of companies in R&D funding.
Someone might think that the goal is modest, but bear in mind that this expenditure is due to the increase in gross domestic product. Spain is growing a lot, GDP is growing around 5%. Therefore, a very strong rise in absolute values is being raised. As for the public money being used in R&D, it is observed that since 1996 it is increasing between 30% and 40%. So we have to have our feet on the ground. In addition, uneven growth means excellent resource orientation. The plan is ambitious, considering that in the European Union there are no other countries that increase annual R&D spending by 0.1% of GDP. Little by little we want to live up to our European partners. The goal is to reach the European average in 2010, which means about 2% of the gross domestic R&D product.
In R&D plans so far, economic resources were used to obtain instrumentation, not to cover the costs of researchers. The state grants were aimed at research institutions and public universities, that is, at places where official researchers are located. Will the new Plan change? Will private research centres, such as technology centres, as well as equipment acquisition assistance, be able to access grants to pay researchers' salaries?
The previous National R&D Plan was limited to the public environment. Managed by the Ministry of Education and Science, and later by the Ministry of Culture, it was aimed at universities and public research bodies. But this Plan was made up of plans and initiatives from other ministries. For example, a Ministry of Industry plan subsidized companies, technology centers or users working in R&D. Therefore, grants were granted to cover the personnel expenses of private entities, but provided that the personnel expenses were in specific projects, that is, it was not a basic financing for all types of activities. The new National Plan gathers this vision. In fact, since the Plan includes all agents, it is not limited to the funding of researchers from public research agencies through their budgets, but will also fund the expenses of research staff, technologist and other R&D personnel in companies through projects. Therefore, R&D companies will be eligible for grants based on projects.
In addition, there is another important aspect: Tax reductions for efforts in R&D activities. In this area very attractive tax incentives have been prepared for companies, which reach 60% tax reduction of companies.
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