- Greek R&D Strategy beyond 2000
- Building a Greek R&D system (1985-2000)
- 2nd CSF/EPET I-II, STRIDE
- Research and Technology -
The Priorities of the Ministry of Development
(February 2002)
Greek R&D Strategy beyond 2000 
In the current phase, and given the signs of maturity which the Greek R&D system has already achieved, the main focus of the national strategy for the coming years is cross-analysis. At policy level the strategic choice can be broken down into efforts on the one hand, to achieve a better distribution between basic and applied research and, on the other, to build a working relationship between research establishments and productive units.
The 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF), particularly the Operational Programme "Competitiveness" (OP "COM"), is the main vehicle for promoting the national R&D strategy over the next six years, as was the case previously with Operational Programme for Research and Technology I-II (EPET I-II) and STRIDE.
The main priorities of the R&D strategy 2000-2006 remain to increase the share of corporate participation in R&D activities and create critical mass in the private sector, so that the national R&D system becomes self-funding.
To that end, as well as standard programmes in support of R&D, the OP "COM" includes a package of measures which combines incentives for researchers to create new business ventures, encourages start-up businesses, supports the so-called incubators, technology parks and maintains excellence in Research and Technology. This package of measures is underpinned by other administrative measures, which include the creation of a fund, the Fund for the Development of the New Economy (TANEO), which will be responsible for the backing of funding structures for venture capitalists (VCs).
Two other initiatives are expected to contribute to achieving this goal. They are being developed in tandem with the OP "COM" and will facilitate the implementation of new technologies in Greece. They are called the Operational Programme "Information Society" (OPIS) and the programme "Go-online", the latter of which will put 50,000 Greek enterprises online.
The OPIS is also funded by the 3rd CSF with total funds of 967.4 bn. grd (2,839.1 MEuro). The present initiative is being built on the back of the previous structural programme "Kleisthenes", an operational programme for modernizing public administration, with a total budget of 96 bn. grd (292.4 MEuro). The OPIS will promote on-line access for the wider public sector and local government, through a series of large-scale projects being carried out both at national and at regional level. The ultimate aims are to create a more democratic and more citizen-friendly form of public administration by using new technologies and to encourage the development of the digital economy in Greece.
Building a Greek R&D system (1985-2000)
The first attempt at systematically implementing a coherent policy on research, technology and innovation in Greece occured some time in the mid 80s, when the General Secretariat for Research and Technology was created, under the auspices of the Ministry for Industry, Energy and Natural Resources.
Because Greece was in an early phase of development at that time, it was necessary to concentrate at first on creating a national R&D infrastructure. Within this framework two programmes were adopted: one to fund research activity in industry, the Industrial Research Development Programme (PABE) and an academic research programme, which subsequently developed into the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Manpower (PENED).
2nd CSF/EPET I-II, STRIDE
The policy of support for the national research sector entered its fully developed phase with the creation of specialized national programmes, such as the Operational Programme for Research and Technology (EPET I, 1990) and STRIDE (1992), which were funded by structural funds. The EPET II programme, part of the 2nd CSF (Community Support Framework), was the primary means of implementing the national policy on research and technology in the period 1995-2000 and built upon the achievements of the previous period. The main aims of EPET II were the funding of R&D activity in areas of high economic interest, industrial research and technology transfer, funding and restructuring of the research facilities, as well as training and mobility of manpower. For its part the STRIDE programme did not fund infrastructures, only joint ventures between research bodies and enterprises. Finally, efforts to promote research were also included in the 2nd CSF aimed at the education sector - Operational Programme for Education and Vocational Training (EPEAEK II). It was through EPEAEK that research into elements of strategic development of a research policy in the education sector was funded.
In the final analysis the policies implemented under EPET I-II and STRIDE achieved their aim, as regards improving Greece's research infrastructure, through assistance to research institutes and by creating technology parks. At the same time, familiarizing Greek research entities and businesses with R&D and technology transfer by means of nation-wide programmes, made it possible for them to contribute more widely and more effectively in the context of European R&D programmes. In turn this helped to increase revenues and the networking of Greek stakeholders in Europe.
Greece in EU R&D
RSS
R&D in Greece
