26.11.2016 change 26.11.2016

The president signed the law on innovation

Larger research and development incentives for companies and higher profits from the commercialisation of inventions for scientists are the expected effects of the law on innovation signed on Wednesday by President Andrzej Duda.

The government bill amending certain laws defining the conditions for innovative activity, prepared by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, introduces a system of incentives and bonuses to encourage the innovative activity.

During the ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Andrzej Duda stressed that the bill provides support for entrepreneurs, but also for "young scientists who are working on modern and innovative technical solutions". It is also a support for research units, in which research is conducted" - he added.

He reminded that the law contains incentives to ensure that the research is conducted, commercialised, implemented. "So that they can function for the Polish economy, so that they can begin to function - I hope - also internationally, through the expansion of Polish entrepreneurs to foreign markets" - said the President.

In turn, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Science and Higher Education Jarosław Gowin noted that the Polish economy is not very innovative. "The innovations that have been used in the economy over the past twenty years, were based largely on the finished patents purchased from abroad. We want to change that. We want the Polish economy to be truly innovative. In the long run, innovativeness in the economy can only be achieved in one way: by building a bridge between enterprises and the world of Polish science" - said the head of the science ministry.

Gowin said that the law on innovation builds "a bridge over the valley of death" between science and economy. "For the first time, Polish entrepreneurs have real relief, real, high incentives for working with the world of science. Scientists, in turn, are in position to benefit from the commercialisation of their research, and to make research a part of their career" - said the Minister of Science.

"We have great hope and ambition to this project and the next ones, on which the Ministry of Science will work, become a small contribution to the great program (...) of building a proud and strong Poland, which is the program formulated by the president, the program in which the Poles put their trust, and the president is the embodiment of the hopes of Poles for proud, strong, wealthy Poland" - Gowin added, addressing the president.

Wednesday\'s ceremony was also attended by research teams whose projects are co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development.

The President stressed his strong support for the work of young Polish entrepreneurs, mentioning, among other things, the meeting with the creators of start-ups, which recently took place in the Presidential Palace. "I would like to see more facilities for young Polish entrepreneurs. (...) I want young people to believe that they can develop in our country, that they do not have to go abroad to be able to pursue their life goals" - said Duda.

The work on the bill proceeded without controversy - all parliamentary clubs were in favour of the bill. It abolishes - from 1 January 2017 - the income tax on intellectual property contributed to the company. The new provisions also provide for a tax deduction of the cost of obtaining a patent by small and medium-sized enterprises.

The law also increases the amount of tax-deductible eligible costs of expenditure on research and development. For micro, small and medium-sized companies these deductions would amount to 50 percent. Large companies could deduct 50 percent of personnel costs and 30 percent of other costs related to research and development activities.

In addition, the new regulations extend, from three to six years, the period in which companies may deduct the costs incurred for research and development.

The amendment also provides that the newly formed companies (i.e. start-ups) conducting research and development can apply for a cash refund in the amount of 18 or 19 percent of potential but unused deduction.

The law also includes a package of regulations that simplify procedures, including modified rules governing the acquisition of property rights to inventions by researchers. Under the new regulations, scientists working at a public university, who are interested in commercialising the results of their research conducted there, will have to notify their university within 14 days of the information about the research results. In absence of such notification, the university will automatically take over the rights to the results of research and development work.

The law comes into force after 30 days from the date of publication, but some of the rules - including those concerning tax breaks - will apply from 1 January 2017.

The law on innovation signed on Wednesday precedes another law on the subject. The work on the second bill is already being finalized, and the law - according to the Ministry of Science - could come into force on 1 January 2018.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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