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Research - Luxembourg

Updated 01/2010

Legal requirements

The European objective, which was announced in the Lisbon strategy, is for spending on Research and Development (R&D) to reach 3% of GDP by 2010. With this in mind, Luxembourg is encouraging businesses to invest in research and innovation, which promote growth and employment.

  • Debate in Luxembourg on the Lisbon strategy français

The R&D sector includes scientific and technical research. R&D is also closely linked to technological innovation and thus allows companies to be more competitive.

  • R&D and innovation français

Luxembourg's framework law on economic development and diversification introduced a system for promoting R&D. The system is the main instrument for co-financing private research activities.

  • Support policy for innovation and research français
  • Framework law on economic development and diversification pdf [180 KB] français
  • Support mechanism - Ministry of Small Enterprises and Traders, Tourism and Housing français

R&D bodies

R&D has an important place in Luxembourg policy. The main players in this field are:

  • Public research centres (CRP);
  • University of Luxembourg; français
  • Centre for studies on population, poverty and socio-economic policies; français
  • Ministry of Culture, Higher Education and Research; français
  • National Research Fund; français
  • Luxinnovation français
  • Ministry of the Economy and Foreign Trade; français
  • Ministry of Small Firms and Traders, Tourism and Housing français
  • National Society for Credit and Investment; français
  • private agents.  

Alongside R&D, innovation is essential for businesses to develop and stay competitive.

Intellectual property must be protected to encourage research.

Administrative procedures

Companies wishing to employ third-country nationals as researchers have to obtain approval from the Ministry of the Economy and Foreign Trade.

  • Approval request form msw8 français

Resources

The Guichet entreprises business portal also provides various information to entrepreneurs.

  • Assessing your company's innovative capacity français
  • Strengthening your company's business with R&D and technological innovation français
  • Innovation at the organisational level (non-technological innovation) français
  • Players in innovation and R&D français
  • Requesting approval as a private research body français
  • Setting up an innovative business français
  • Requesting support for RDI français

The Luxembourg portal for innovation and research provides you with:

  • an advertisement database for finding business partners and placing advertisements;
  • a directory of technological skills related to innovative Luxembourg companies;
  • a guide to support.
  • Guide to support français
  • Technology market français
  • Directory of technological skills français

The University of Luxembourg focuses on training and research. Its aim is to strengthen Luxembourg research in areas such as materials science, life sciences, computer science, geodynamics and seismology, and mathematics.

  • University of Luxembourg français

The Henri Tudor technology monitoring centre informs companies about new technologies, techniques and innovations as well as their competitors' latest technology.

  • Henri Tudor technology monitoring centre français

Programmes

The Guichet entreprises business portal gives details of the financial aid that companies may claim.

  • Requesting support for RDI français

The National Research Fund aims to develop skills and synergies nationally and internationally.

  • National Research Fund français

You must complete an application form to receive subsidies or support in connection with R&D. The form varies according to the kind of subsidy requested and must be completed by the project promoter.

  • Support measures for private companies français
  • Form - R&D promotion system for the Ministry of the Economy   français
  • Form - innovation and R&D support for SMEs   français

To encourage technological cooperation among companies, Luxembourg has introduced a cluster programme. The programme helps companies set up industrial partnerships for sharing their skills and cooperating in research projects, ultimately strengthening their competitive position.

  • Clusters français

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Legal texts

    • Law of 12 August 2003 creating the University of Luxembourg français
    • Law of 31 May 1999 creating a National Research Centre in the public sector français
    • Law of 21 February 1997 amending the Law of 27 July 1993 with the aim of economic development and diversification, and improvement in the general structure and regional balance of the economy français
    • pdf[96 KB]English
    • Framework law of 27 July 1993 aimed at economic development and diversification pdf [180 KB] français

    Key documents

    • Innovation and research activities (2005) français

Living and moving in Europe

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Enterprise Europe Network - Contact points

The Enterprise Europe Network provides businesses with information and advice through its local contact points. 

Choose your nearest contact point for personalized help and advice:

Further help

The Espace entreprises run by the Chamber of Commerce and the Contact entreprise of the Chamber of Trades offer support and advice to people in business.

  • Espace entreprises - Chamber of Commerce français
  • Contact entreprise - Chamber of Trades français

The EUREKA initiative provides support for European technological cooperation.

  • EUREKA français

Luxinnovation (the National Agency for Promoting Innovation and Research) provides information and advice to business owners. It serves companies conducting research, development and innovation, entrepreneurs setting up innovative companies, young innovative companies, and small, medium and large businesses with unrealised innovation potential.

  • Luxinnovation français

Luxembourg is in the process of developing Ecostart, a service and innovation centre for new, innovation-focused companies. Its aims are to support companies in the setting up and project idea phases, to host companies in the development phase and to assist foreign companies looking to set up in Luxembourg.

  • Ecostart français

Technoport supports the setting up and development of innovative and technological companies. The centre provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to exchange experiences and offers personalised services and access to partner networks.

  • Technoport - Business innovation centre français