Luxembourg: new law enacted to finance R&D
In connection to Luxembourg’s national strategy to relaunch interventions fostering research, development and innovation (RSI), a new law has been recently put into force to increase the procedures and the incentives allocated to research, introducing new measures to support SMEs in promoting innovation, including the acquisition of shared research equipment.
On the one hand, the new law confirms the support system set down by the 2009 law, which up to now has enabled the investment of 375 million euros in R&D programmes, technical feasibility studies, innovative instruments for SMEs, innovative youth-led start-ups, research infrastructure and innovation centres.
Pursuant to the new law, the gross contribution for technical feasibility studies can be no less than 1,000 euros and no higher than 50% of admissible costs. This sum can be further increased by 20% for small enterprises. Moreover, the law also provides for the possibility of using State funding for the purchase of costly R&D equipment, up to a maximum 50% of expenditure, on condition that this equipment is shared with other research facilities; it also provides for State contributions of up to a maximum of 800,000 euros for innovative youth-led start-ups. Furthermore, the new law also envisages the possibility of subsequently granting funds in the form of repayable advances, easy term loans and subsidies.
