Institutional Change in the Field of Research, Development and Innovation16 February 2011
In accordance with Government Decree No. 303/2010 (XII.23.) Korm. the National Research and Technology Office will continue to operate as National Innovation Office as of 1 January 2011. The National Development Agency will take responsibility over grant contracts signed on behalf of the Research and Technology Innovation Fund before the decree came into force, along with the administration of the Fund. According to the operational logic of the Fund, the innovation contribution paid by companies is complemented by the state and redistributed to the economic actors in a tendering system. As a result, the majority of companies have a direct financial interest in the operation of the system.
The National Innovation Office is helping the government with information and analysis, developing proposals for innovation policy. Operational guidelines for the Research and Technology Innovation Fund (Fund) is determined by the National Board for Research, Innovation and Scientific Policy, and this board will make decisions in strategic issues related to R&D&I as well. Programme strategy and fund usage plans of the Fund are subject to decision by the Government. Budget Act provides the necessary sources in a separate article.
Ongoing tasks and contracts were officially taken over by protocol on 31 January 2011. The actual takeover of individual contracts is currently in progress on a programme basis with financial and legal screening (approximately 4000 contracts are effective today). Once this process is finished financing will continue immediately. Similarly at this point, the parties concerned will be informed by the National Development Agency about substantive decisions on grants.
Investigations are ongoing at the Fund regarding funding practices, which, depending on its outcome, may result in the revision of tendering practices. When developing the new practice, the Fund wishes to continue to implement the objective in its operation that innovation contribution paid by companies should be complemented by the state and redistributed to the economic actors through the tendering system.