Innovative science and technology centres bring together scientists, power and investors

he Federation Council unanimously approved the draft federal law on innovative science and technology centres and the amendment of individual legislative acts of the Russian Federation, developed by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.

The document is directed to create the conditions for the establishment of Innovative Science and Technology Centres (ISTC) - a unique platform for interaction and cooperation among the organizations of science, state power and investors.

The main purpose of the bill - is to stimulate the transition to an active stage of commercializing the results of intellectual activity. In particular, the Bill establishes the procedure for the creation of innovative science and technology centres, defines the powers, rights and duties of persons involved in the implementation of ISTC projects, and provides a number of incentives for the participants of ISTC projects, including "benefits" in the state regulation of separate industries.

According to the Federal Law, the initiators of ISTC projects may be the educational organizations of higher education or scientific organizations, meeting the relative established criteria.

The ISTC management model provides for the establishment of funds to implement projects for the establishment and operation of ISTC, as well as managing companies, established for the management of ISTC.

The Federal Law provides for special legal regimes during execution of certain activities in the territories of ISTC similar to those, envisaged by the Federal Law No. 244-FL of September 28, 2010  "On the innovative center " Skolkovo"".

In addition, the Federal Law introduces changes into 14 federal laws, enshrining the legal regulation of the relations in the relative spheres on the territory of ISTC.

According to the conception of the developers of law, the creation of ISTC will become an incentive for the realization of the priority trends of development of science and technologies in the Russian Federation, should enhance the investment attractiveness of knowledge-based industries, enlargement of an access of citizens and legal persons to particpation in perspective, commercially attractive scientific and scientific-technological projects with state participation, commercialization of the results of intellectual activity.