The main companies in the research and development (R&D) sector met yesterday with some of the main parties in Madrid, in order to demand more attention in public policies and state budgets. On the occasion of the 23J elections, the conclave –with representatives of the biotechnology industry, through CEOE representatives, to heavy industry companies, led by FI Group– has asked the political representatives of the PP, Sumar and ERC –the only formations that accepted the invitation– a commitment to, among other measures, double investment in R&D by 2030 (from 1.43% of current GDP, to 3% for that year).

The innovation employers have listened to the proposals of the parties, which in general terms coincided in promoting a business ecosystem that allows companies to scale and assimilate investments. In the same way, the political representatives also recognized the need to reduce bureaucratic and administrative burdens, both for companies -so that it is easier for them to access help lines- and for the public sector, particularly for universities to be able to carry out their activity with fewer administrative constraints.

The vice president of the CEOE innovation commission, Francisco Marín, collected the measures proposed in the different electoral programs and argued that, although “the music sounds good”, when going down to the details “there is a certain continuity”, he commented. That is why the representatives of the different companies in the sector demanded more ambition from the political spokespersons.

One of the proposals that they have taken note of has been the creation of a national council that groups the governance of the innovation system, which also includes the private sector, with which they can deal more directly. As denounced by different businessmen, there are too many interlocutors, with almost a dozen ministries that touch the field, in addition to the 17 autonomous communities, they explain.

On the other hand, the innovative sector has also claimed that the process of carrying out R&D be as fast as possible, for which the most effective instrument is taxation, they say. However, the businessmen agreed that, beyond the mechanism, the aid needs to be adapted to the needs of the sector, which usually translates into simplifying the bureaucracy.

Follow all the information of Five days in Facebook, Twitter and Linkedinor in our newsletter Five Day Agenda