2.4 ITALY
NATIONAL POLICY AND STRATEGY Innovation and creativity in Italy falls under different national legislation/ regulations such as: the Law 46 of 1982, the Integrated Benefits Package (PIA), the National Operative Programme of Research and Competitiveness 2007-2013 (PON), and the QSN – FAS. Law 46 of 1982 enables the financing of technological innovation, as a sector distinct from industrial research, to stimulate research in technological development in any field. Projects receiving grants from the Revolving Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIT) must have the majority of their activities at pre-competitive development phase. Since 2001, funds for innovation changed. Whereas in the past companies presented their projects on demand to the Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), they now have to participate in European and National project tender calls. FIT benefits the following beneficiaries including • Artisan production of goods; • Research centres with independent legal status; • Consortia and joint ventures whose financial contribution to various funding bodies or to the social capital is greater than 50%; • Other beneficiaries identified by application process. In regards to FIT, activities that develop new products or new production processes are financed while the purchase of plants and machinery are not. Also funded is the activity carried out within the companies (and in part with external laboratories/ companies) that lead to a significant improvement of a product that exceeds state-of-the-art products currently on the market, or to the alteration of a production process through research and pre-competitive development. Companies can submit a single multi-year development programme application to the FIT PIA Completion Fund to access facilities. With a single application and a single institutional reference, a company may be able to obtain funds for a variety of purposes such as the purchase of a manufacturing plant/ equipment, and research/ development, and services (e.g. training). PIA unifies, integrates and simplifies the access to finances stated in Law 488/92 for the development of pre-competitive activities financed by the Law 297/99 (representing an evolution of Law 46/82 on Technological Innovation Fund) and for related educational activities. PIA has a particular focus on: • Boosting technological innovation; • Improvement in the quality of projects funded by Law 488/92 through a project selection process, and restricting the allocation of resources to companies that invest in research and development activities, services and training; • Attraction of further investment in disadvantaged areas;
KnowInG Project: ANALYSIS OF INNOVATION POLICIES
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