“Hungary must become the region’s research and innovation centre; according to government plans, the funding provided to the sector will increase to 1.8 percent of GDP within the near future”, Government Spokesperson Éva Kurucz stressed at a press conference held jointly with the Government Commissioner responsible for tasks related to the establishment of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office.
Ms. Kurucz said that the social debate on the main directions for research & development and innovation until 2020 had been completed, and it was based on this that the intelligent specialisation strategy to be put before Wednesday’s cabinet meeting was prepared. The strategy is one of the essential conditions for the drawing down of EUR 700 billion in European Union funding for research, development and innovation within the 2014-2020 period.
According to the Government’s plans, GDP-proportional spending in this field will be increased to 1.8 percent from the current level of 1.4 percent, because Hungary must become the region’s research and innovation centre, Éva Kurucz said, adding that the establishment of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office also served this goal.
According to Government Commissioner József Pálinkás, research and development could be a take-off point for Hungary and the Office would perform the management and coordination of the field with relation to domestic and EU funding across multiple government terms. Mr. Pálinkás emphasised that more money would be available for research and development in the upcoming years, which must primarily facilitate further economic growth.
Furthermore, a Research & Development and Innovation Fund will be established, from which the Cabinet will finance basic and applied research in addition to innovation.
The Government Commissioner said that the institutional system would remain unchanged and the maintenance of research workshops existing within the economy, universities and research institutes would remain the responsibility of current management.
He also mentioned that National Scientific Research Program (OTKA) resources would be merged into the new fund, and encouraged all Hungarian researchers to apply for OTKA funding.
Mr. Pálinkás also promised that the adjudication of funding would occur within the framework of a faster and more transparent system.