GV - Consejería de Desarrollo Económico e Infraestructuras

The Ministry for Economic Development and Infrastructure coordinates the design and implementation of the Basque R&D&i Policy. That policy is widely known throughout the whole Europe as an example of a very strong regional compromise with knowledge and industrial development. At the present moment the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2015 (PCTI 2015) is proof of the Basque Government’s determined commitment to position our country as an innovation reference in Europe. If the country’s first economic transformation served to strengthen operational efficiency and put us on the European quality map, the second important economic transformation, in which we are currently immersed, must serve to put us on the European innovation map in its broadest sense. This challenge requires a rich and varied Basque Innovation System, in terms of current disciplines or knowledge areas and the importance of relations which must be established in the heart of the system and with the exterior. Knowledge has its own life and is built on a cumulative process in which education, research and innovation participate. Knowledge flows and evolves with the different agents of the Basque Innovation System represented by the companies, agents of the Basque Science, Technology and Innovation Network and the Basque Government along with the Regional Councils, as well as the General State Administration and the European Union.

Manufacturing plays a major role in the Basque industry and the Basque Government is committed to support its manufacturing industrial base promoting higher value added production through R&D and innovation. The new main strategy consists of updating the country’s capacities to grow and to deploy a sustainable future policy.

The key lies in supporting the core industrial strengths in the field of materials, energy, machinery, mobility and on the Basque advanced manufacturing capacities to invest, based on a dynamic, flexible model in market niches with great potential.

The ERA-NETs are in line with the Basque R&D strategy, therefore, the Basque Country has participated in 16 ERA-NET projects. Basque SMEs still need support to increase their international R&D cooperation and ERA-NET supported projects have allowed Basque SMEs to increase substantially their international R&D cooperation.