By Andrea Hargraves 
Antonio Costa mentioned this fact in a video intervention he gave to the opening session of the 2021 Scientific Meeting, which was held at the Lisbon Convention Center, this year under the theme “Science that makes tomorrow and transforms the economy”, after the Ministers of Science and Manuel Heitor for Higher Education, and Mariana Vieira da Silva for the State And the presidency, they handed a series of medals that marked scientific projects.
In his speech, the Prime Minister noted that the PRR invests “nearly 40% of the available funds, about 6.4 billion euros, in science, knowledge and innovation” and cited the European Commission’s report approving the Portuguese plan.
“PRR in Portugal is making significant investments to stimulate research and innovation, and includes an ambitious package of reforms and investments that address the root causes of the challenges identified,” he said, citing the European Commission.
Among the national goals, the Prime Minister cited “administrative simplification and reduction of context costs, including the introduction of several recommendations of the working group’s report to simplify research and development projects”.
He then highlighted the objective related to “establishing financing mechanisms that promote investment in innovation, through an effective development bank with a long-term vision for the country, as well as establishing support rates of up to 100% for basic research. And levels of incentives for companies within the maximum European legislation”.
In his brief speech, Antonio Costa said that the National Monitoring Committee of the Research and Recovery Program, which is already in operation, “will ensure continuous communication with experts and actors in the field, including the Council of Deans of Portuguese Universities, the Coordinating Council of Polytechnic Institutes and the National Council for Science, Technology and Innovation” .
“Recover Portugal’s mission structure will bridge the gap between the plan and challenging implementation deadlines. The Mais Transparência portal will provide up-to-date information, which, together with control and audit mechanisms, will allow us to take into account the good use of these funds,” he emphasized.
In national terms, in the field of science, by the end of the decade, the chief executive was confident that it would be possible to “raise total spending on research and development to 3% of GDP” .
Other goals, up to 2030, according to Antonio Costa, are “to guarantee 50% of graduates aged 30-34, and to reach a volume of exports equivalent to 53% of GDP, with an emphasis on increasing the technological balance”.
Regarding his government’s work in the last legislature, he said that between 2015 and 2019 there was an increase in total spending on research and development by more than 34%, and cited the Horizon 2020 program as an example.
“We have recorded a historic result, attracting about 180 million euros annually in the past three years, a symbol of the scientific and research excellence carried out in Portugal,” he noted.
Under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Antonio Costa noted that “three topics have been placed at the center of the debate on research and innovation”.
“Science as a driver of qualified job creation, underpinned by robust and sustainable growth; the critical role of open and collaborative basic science, expanding the frontiers of knowledge; and, finally, the urgent need to advance research careers and increase professionalism,” he outlined in his address.