Business news

MINSK, 31 October (BelTA) – There are plans to increase the share of innovative products in the total industrial output in Belarus up to 25%, Andrei Rybak, the chairman of the standing commission on industry, fuel and energy, transport and communications of the House of Representatives, said at the roundtable dedicated to the use of domestic innovations by local enterprises, BelTA has learned.

“The high share of innovative products in the industrial output is key to the sustainable GDP growth, competitiveness of enterprises. At the moment, this share hovers around 16%. The science and technology development strategy up to 2040 is in the works now. It aims to bring that share up to 25%,” Andrei Rybak said.

He urged to promote closer dialogue between enterprises and the scientific community. “Today we invited representatives of the Belarusian companies and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) to discuss the measures to increase the share of innovations in the industry. Following this discussion, we will formulate certain proposals on changes to the legislative framework,” the MP said.

First Deputy Chairman of the NASB Presidium Sergei Chizhik said that cooperation of science and enterprises should happen by mutual accord. If an enterprise wants to be competitive, it will take more efforts on this front, will strive to produce innovative goods. But, of course, this requires investments and qualified personnel. In addition, innovations always imply a certain risk,” he stressed.

“We need to polish up the mechanism of the state scientific and technical programs,” said Andrei Kosovsky, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee. “We have not resolved the issue of risks. For truly breakthrough innovations, scientists need to take on very high risks,” he noted.

Deputy general director for technology and quality of Belarusian Steel Mill Yelena Peretyagina, in turn, suggested reducing the time frame for approving the allocation of public funding. She also drew attention to the problem of training qualified personnel for innovative manufactures.

The roundtable to discuss the problems of the use of domestic innovations by local enterprises was attended by members of the House of Representatives, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Industry Ministry, the State Science and Technology Committee, Belneftekhim Concern and a number of manufacturing businesses. Representatives of government bodies, scientific community and industrial sector discussed the requirements of enterprises to local innovations and obstacles to the use of innovations in the industrial sector.