7. ALCANCES
12.4. Implementación del sistema integrado
• Thematic Objective 1. Strengthening research, technology development and innovation
o Links with the objectives of Europe 2020 strategy and national strategic documents
The factor conditioning long‐term growth and achieving a strong competitive position of the Polish economy is the
application of the results of research and development, of new technologies and innovation in the enterprise sector.
Support to enterprises in terms of R&D activity will have the greatest impact on the achievement of Poland’s
objectives in the area covered by TO 1.
The priority actions indicated in the National Development Strategy 2020 and the Strategy for Innovation and
Efficiency of the Economy executing it comply with Europe 2020 strategy, and in particular with one of its flagship
initiatives, Innovation Union. The reform of the science sector in Poland resulted in indication of strategic directions of
research and development in the National Research Programme. Assumptions for the Science & Technology and
Innovation Policy of the State. On the basis of these directions, strategic research programmes are created that serve
the development of individual sectors of enterprises and the industry.
The Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) is the key document indicating a wide range of instruments to support
the development of innovation of enterprises in Poland. The National Smart Specialisation (NSS), which is a part of the
EDP, determines the process of selecting, monitoring and updating priority areas for the development of the economy
and the extent to which ESIF are used to involve enterprises in co‐funding of research, development and research
infrastructure, thus supporting a change in the development model into one based on technological progress and
innovation.
Regional smart specialisations organised by voivodeship level institutions are complementary with the NSS developed
at the national level. They define priority sectors and thematic areas in which wider use of R&D output will result in a
faster transformation of enterprises and scientific units cooperating with these enterprises from imitating innovation
to creating innovation in a way that is adequate to the most important needs and economic objectives of the regions
in the framework of the strategy for the development of voivodeships or regional innovation strategies (RIS3).
The condition for support under TO 1 is compliance with national or regional smart specialisation strategies.
According to the strategy of ESIF fund use, support for public R&D infrastructure will be selective and focused on the
key map of needs, which in this regard is the Polish Roadmap for Research Infrastructures. It identifies R&D
infrastructure and devices, as well as other research equipment, which is unique on the national scale and
complementary with projects implemented on the European scale (e.g. the European Strategy Forum on Research
Infrastructures – ESFRI) or on the international scale.
The priorities proposed below are in line with the Country‐Specific Recommendation identifying the need to “take
additional measures to ensure an innovation‐friendly business environment by strengthening the links between
research, innovation and industrial policy, by further developing revolving instruments and tax incentives and by
better targeting existing instruments to the different stages of the innovation cycle” (Recommendation No 5 of 2013).
The tasks carried out in the framework of TO 1 will be conducive to enhancing innovation of the Polish economy to the
greatest extent. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, it is necessary to make the best use of the capacity and
motivation of economic operators to constantly explore and apply R&D results, new technologies and inventions in
their business. Giving priority to actions contributing to the transformation of the Polish economy through its
modernisation, structural transformation, diversification of products and services and the creation of innovative
solutions is fully in accordance with the criteria relevant for the ex ante condition which commits the Member States
to develop a smart specialisation strategy.
In Poland, the process of identifying smart specialisations is continuous, open, it involves economic and scientific
partners as well as the civil society, in accordance with the concept of entrepreneurial discovery. The work leading to
selecting a smart specialisation is organised at the national level by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the
Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development, and at the regional
level by marshals of voivodeships in cooperation with the above ministries.
Thanks to the mechanism of monitoring and evaluation of the National Smart Specialisation, it is possible to discover
the areas in which Poland has a chance to stand out on the international market. The basis for the identification of
areas of smart specialisation takes the form of in‐depth analyses of endogenous potentials in science and the
economy (supply) and the needs for development of industries and sectors reported by economic circles (demand),
verified with the participation of scientific and economic partners as well as the civil society.
The process of selecting a smart specialisation allows bottom‐up development of areas with the highest development
addressed solely at the areas defined in the national and regional strategies for smart specialisation, selected in the
process of entrepreneurial discovery.
The mechanisms planned under TO 1 that are part of the national and regional strategies of smart specialisation,
reflecting the demand of enterprises, will contribute to selecting and development of new smart specialisations.
The implementation of the smart specialisation strategy will be monitored on an ongoing basis. The monitoring
system serves ongoing assessment whether smart specialisations have been defined correctly and evaluating the
progress of activities for their development. As a result of monitoring activities, in the case of identification of external
factors which have a decisive impact on the process of selecting smart specialisations, it will be possible to respond
and to periodically update the smart specialisation areas. Update of a smart specialisation strategy will take into
account the results of the application of the mechanisms that serve selecting new areas of the strategy.
International cooperation in the area of research, development and innovation is of particular importance in the
context of the achievement of the objectives of the EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). Creating
international research teams with partners from the Baltic Sea region will contribute, in practice, to the achievement
of the objectives in priority area “Innovation” of the EUSBSR Action Plan of which Poland is the co‐leader, together
with Sweden.
o Objectives and priorities of intervention under TO 1
Specific objective of the PA: increase in the use of the results of research and development in the economy and enhancing the quality and internationalisation of research – is achieved through the following priorities:
• Transfer of knowledge, innovation and R&D results to the economy:
o Increase in the number of enterprises pursuing R&D (PI 1b.),
o Increase in the number of joint R&D projects of enterprises and scientific units (IP 1b.),
o Increasing the number of implementations of R&D results and of innovative solutions in the economy (IP 1b.),
o Increase the scale of the use of R&D services (IP 1b.). • Improving the technology and knowledge transfer system:
o Improving access to high‐quality services supporting R&D&I, tailored to meet the needs of enterprises (IP
1b.),
o Increasing the availability of capital to finance the implementation of innovation and R&D results in
enterprises (IP 1b.),
o Increasing the number of effective partnerships between enterprises, development of cooperation of SMEs
with large enterprises, including within the framework of clusters (IP 1b),
o Improving research and innovation infrastructure in enterprises,
o Developing research and development capacity of enterprises (e.g. R&D infrastructure of enterprises) (IP
1b.),
o Developing modern research infrastructure, and integrating and consolidating the scientific and research
capacity (IP 1a.).
• Improving the ability to create excellence in the field of research and innovation:
o Focusing research and development on thematic areas with the highest economic potential on a national and
regional scale (e.g. strategic research programmes, regional scientific and research agendas, research
programmes of virtual institutes (IP 1a.)),
o Increase in the number and quality of research and development carried out in cooperation with foreign
scientific centres or enterprises (IP 1a.),
o Increase in the potential of R&D sector personnel through their participation in collaborative research
projects carried out by scientific units or enterprises, including international projects (IP 1a.).
• Scope and main principles of intervention
As stated in the diagnosis, in the construction of an economy based on technological progress and innovation the
most important challenge is to increase R&D outlays of enterprises. Enterprises will pursue R&D on their own, using
their own resources or in cooperation with other enterprises, a scientific‐industrial consortium, research units. Under
TO 1 support is focused on SMEs. Also investments of large enterprises in the area of TO 1 are envisaged, provided
that specific diffusion effects of R&D&I results to the Polish economy are ensured. In the case of large companies,
preference will be given to projects undertaken jointly with SMEs or providing for cooperation with SMEs, NGOs and
The financing of the whole process of creating innovation (from idea to market) or its selected elements is envisaged.
Support will cover the phase of research, industrial research and development (including the stage of demonstration).
Financing will be provided to pilot lines and actions in the field of early validation of products, advanced production
capacities and initial production, including in terms of key enabling technologies. As a result R&D work and services,
the stage of advancement of an innovative solution (product, service, process) that allows its marketing will be
achieved.
Support will be provided to projects that contribute to the development of sustainable linkages and synergies
between the science sector and entrepreneurs in order to ensure effective transfer of R&D results. The knowledge
created in academic, scientific and research centres should be converted into commercial success to a greater extent
than hitherto.
The scope of support adequate for the implementation of TO 1 also includes projects which envisage the
implementation of R&D results developed by an entrepreneur or acquired. Implementation of the acquired R&D
results is possible only in case it is necessary to carry out development work that would supplement/adapt
technologies to the specific nature of an enterprise. As a result of projects supporting the implementation of R&D
results, new/innovative processes will be launched or new/innovative products or services will be introduced to the
market.
Examples of forms of stimulating R&D activity and cooperation between science and business include:
• Application projects that consist in financing of industrial research and development, focused on direct
application of R&D results in the activity of specific enterprises,
• Sectoral programmes that serve carrying out large research projects essential for the development of specific
industries/sectors of the economy; the initiators are enterprises which may cooperate with the science sector in
the framework of project implementation,
• Support for projects that consist in R&D at all or selected levels of technological readiness, implemented by
industrial and scientific‐industrial consortia,
• Development of networks of innovation brokers to facilitate the transfer of research results from research units
to enterprises through specialised consultancy services,
• Financing R&D services provided by scientific unit to enterprises.
Support for enterprises in respect of R&D&I (research, development and innovation) activities will be carried out also
through the services provided by specialised BEIs. The efficiency and effectiveness of BEIs will increase. The service
offer of entities supporting the maximum utilisation of the creative potential of enterprises will be improved and
market‐oriented. Access to the services offered by inter alia science and technology parks, technology transfer
centres, academic entrepreneurship incubators and other organisations supporting innovation of enterprises will be
facilitated. There will be further development of effective mechanisms of finding research projects which are possible
to be commercialised (inter alia innovation brokers).
In incidental and justified cases infrastructural support will be provided to business environment institutions (BEIs).
Support for this purpose will be provided only if infrastructural investments supplement existing resources are
necessary for the implementation of high quality innovative services and are conditioned by demand for similar R&D
infrastructure from technology companies. Investment in common necessary R&D infrastructure and its location
within BEIs will contribute to the reduction of costs of individual enterprises related to purchasing similar
infrastructure, incubating companies and further R&D activity.
The form of R&D&I financing in enterprises will be adjusted to the level of risk associated with a given project. In the
case of more risky projects of breakthrough significance, greater importance will be attached to non‐repayable
instruments (grants). Increased use of repayable instruments or mixed forms (grant and repayable) will be related to
the stage of commercialisation of R&D results, for example the installation of a pilot line or acquisition of machinery
and equipment necessary for the implementation of R&D results.
In order to overcome the barrier hindering the development of Polish enterprises, and especially limiting their
innovation, i.e. the lack of capital, indicated in the diagnosis, it is necessary to develop the instruments for financing
R&D and innovation by enterprises. Support in this area will enhance the access of enterprises to financial instruments
such as technology credit, guarantees, seed capital and venture capital. Selection of financial instruments will take
place on the basis of ex ante evaluation.
Support will also be directed to clusters implementing R&D&I projects that reflect the sectors indicated in the smart
specialisation strategies.
Among the actors of the innovation system, the awareness of the benefits of cooperation will be strengthened and
projects of enterprises concerning the development of open innovation and demand‐driven innovation will be
financed. The competences relating to the protection of intellectual property rights, the granting of patents and
Investment in modern R&D infrastructure will contribute to improving the quality of R&D activity. Support for science
infrastructure concerns only strategic research infrastructure, which has been identified in the Polish Roadmap for
Research Infrastructures and matches the national and regional smart specialisation strategies. In order to make
optimum use of available and planned research infrastructure, support will be granted to projects aimed at
networking and consolidation of the scientific and research potential, also with the participation of entities from
outside Poland.
The criteria of support for R&D infrastructure are as follows:
• A project in the area of R&D infrastructure matches the national or regional strategies of smart specialisation, • A project in the area of R&D infrastructure is characterised by a possibly high degree of co‐financing from private
sources,
• A new project in the area of R&D infrastructure in scientific units may receive support only when it complements
existing resources, including those created within the framework of support provided under the 2007–2013
perspective,
• A project in the area of R&D infrastructure has been agreed with the minister in charge of science and higher
education and the minister in charge of regional development in order to avoid duplication of investments, • A project in the area of R&D infrastructure serves to carry out research identified in the project (it is necessary to
provide a description of R&D work that will be carried out using the co‐financed infrastructure and a description
of its use in the economy),
• The R&D infrastructure created under the project will be available to entities/individuals from outside the unit
which receives support,
• Financing of ICT infrastructure in scientific units is possible within the framework of TO 1 only when this
infrastructure is essential to a given research and development project.
At the same time, the possibilities of enterprises to engage in research and development by supporting the creation
and development of their R&D infrastructure, investment in machinery, equipment and other necessary devices that
serve creating innovative products and services, are strengthened. The support offered will contribute to setting up
R&D departments and laboratories in enterprises or creation of research and development centres by enterprises. The
condition of supporting this type of investments will be the presentation of plans for R&D activity by an enterprise.
Despite the steady growth of outlays from the state budget for R&D carried out by research units, there are still too
few competence centres able to create excellence in the area of research and innovation that would match the
standards of international centres making up the European Research Area. To intensify the process of integrating
Polish research units into the European network of excellence, support will be provided to joint scientific projects of
centres with the highest potential. Concentration of allocations on research directions with the highest economic
potential will be achieved in particular through projects of regional scientific and research agendas, strategic research
programmes and research programmes of virtual institutes. As a result of performance of the tasks covered by
intervention under TO 1, the level of specialisation of R&D activity is expected to increase and the potential of
interdisciplinary projects will be released and taken advantage of.
International research agendas created in Poland in cooperation with prestigious research centres from other
countries will be supported. Support will cover the implementation of high‐quality research conducted by prominent
foreign scientists together with Polish researchers, especially young ones. Support will consist in funding research,
including interdisciplinary research, the results of which will be used in business activity.
The development of international research teams by cooperation of Polish research teams with the most prominent
scientific centres worldwide will result in creating jobs in the area of R&D and will contribute to attracting the most
promising scholars from all over the world to work in Poland, especially Poles currently working abroad.
Participation in R&D activity with the use of top‐class infrastructure requires research teams to continually expand
knowledge and acquire (exchange) experience. Increasing the staff potential of the R&D sector will take place, inter
alia, as a result of implementing research projects in Polish units in cooperation with the world’s best scientific
centres, as well as in enterprises, by way of scientific internships and scholarships, exchange of staff between research
units and enterprises, improving the qualifications of R&D staff of enterprises.