New ideas - Cyprus

Updated 01/2010

Legal requirements

The strategy followed by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism for supporting and developing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) includes, among other goals, improved access to research, technological innovation, training, and information services for SMEs.

The Planning Bureau is also a State Executive Service, equal to those of the Ministries and responsible for promoting and coordinating economic and social development.

More specifically, the Bureau coordinates and promotes the Lisbon Strategy, issues concerning research/innovation and the information society, lifelong learning, promoting private funding projects (Public Finance Initiative).

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism
Planning Bureau

Technological innovation

The establishment of the Research Promotion Foundation (RPF), an independent, non-profit organisation supported entirely by the state, has the sole purpose of promoting scientific and technological research in Cyprus.

The Research Promotion Foundation

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

Research — Cyprus

Intellectual property must be protected to encourage innovation.

Intellectual property — Cyprus

Resources

The Competitiveness and Research Directorate of the Planning Bureau offers a comprehensive list of research activities in Cyprus.

Research Activities - Planning Bureau

The Research Promotion Foundation provides a comprehensive list of research centres and competitiveness development organisations based in Cyprus.

Organisations focused on the development of competitiveness and research

Programmes

The main and most important body responsible for the achievenemt of national policy goals is the Programmes Bundle of the Research Promotion Foundation for Research and Technological Development.

2009-2010 Bundle

The enhancement of entrepreneurship, especially among young people and women, is promoted through projects which provide grants to create new, modern and flexible small businesses through specialised training courses on issues concerning entrepreuneurship for young entrepreneurs.