Estonia: The Riigikogu discussed research and development funding

NordenBladet — At today’s sitting of the Riigikogu, the Bill on Amendments to the Organisation of Research and Development Act (33 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction, passed the first reading. It is intended to ensure stable funding of research and development by the state at the level of one per cent of GDP. This will support broad-based social development and facilitate greater added value of entrepreneurship.

“Science and higher education. Teachers’ salary, higher education and science, I would say, are an investment into the future. We have all agreed that defence spending has been fixed in law. Likewise, contribution to research also deserves to be set out in law as one per cent of gross domestic product as of 2022,” Katri Raik (Social Democratic Party) said when presenting the Bill.

The initiators of the Bill said in justification that the lag in the research and development funding hindered Estonia’s movement towards knowledge-intensive economy. The researchers’ labour market is international, and the limited research and development funding forces Estonian researchers to leave Estonia for countries with better research and development funding.

Member of the Riigikogu Mart Võrklaev took his oath of office.

During the open microphone, Jaak Juske took the floor.

Source: Parliament of Estonia