Opinion: In electoral programs in Portugal, where did innovation come in? – Opinion

By By Diogo Antunes

This issue was analyzed, investigating how the parties proposed the development and dynamization of fields linked to the sector, in addition to the solutions presented to the contemporary challenges of the Portuguese electorate. Or, conversely, if the term “innovation” was used without real reflection in electoral proposals. In the electoral program of PS,

the party stated that it intends to continue investing in innovation, setting the objective of reaching 3% of GDP in total expenditure on Research and Development (R&D) in 2030. This investment in innovation would allow an expected increase in patent applications. The program also discussed general concepts and initiatives that could boost innovation in our economy, although there are few chapters in which it is possible to glimpse, from now on, direct actions that the PS intends to implement. The party also committed to creating a legal regime for teaching and research staff in private higher education, diversifying training offers for students and promoting the modernization of teaching. Regarding investment in Science, he proposed approving an investment programming law within a multi-annual framework over at least 10 years, reducing bureaucracy in research centers and proposing new classification methods for Research & Development (R&D) units.

Regarding IP protection, it is mentioned that a program to encourage patent applications will be implemented and reinforced, without mentioning how this will be done or by what means. In the scope of authorial creation, there were proposals that meet the literary sector, such as proposing conservation measures for small publishers and bookstores or the distribution of books by the State to ensure a sustained presence throughout the national territory. The PS wanted to consider the existence of tax exemptions for books in storage, in order to avoid their destruction and stipulate a fixed quota for digital books, audiobooks and books in Braille. In this last proposal, the State would have to compensate publishers.

Some ideas are extracted from the PS program related to innovation and creations, however, the majority of proposals in these areas did not offer details on how they will be implemented nor on the costs involved, making them difficult to understand. ADemocratic Alliance (AD)

, a political coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the CDS – Partido Popular (CDS–PP) and the Partido Popular Monárquico, was quite direct in stating that it is necessary to provide support to Portuguese companies through a program to support registration and internationalization of patents and other intellectual property assets, aiming to consolidate the presence of Portuguese companies in the markets of Europe, the USA and Asia. Furthermore, it aims for Portugal to be among the ten most digitally advanced countries in the European Union by 2030, significantly increasing the number of patents per company and bringing investment in Science and Innovation closer to 3% of GDP by the same year, similar to the proposed objective. by PS. Within the scope of digital transformation, AD proposed the creation of a National Digital Strategy, and the launch of a Digital Skills Pact to increase the digital skills of Portuguese citizens. It also plans to introduce programming in basic education, invest in training in Artificial Intelligence and promote investments in digital technologies that boost the creation of jobs in specialized sectors. Regarding new digital realities, he suggested adjusting copyright, especially in the context of AI, and developing a strategic plan for Cinema and Audiovisual. Furthermore, it aims to reinforce participation in European research projects, stimulate a culture of spin off

of companies from academia and create a Digital Innovation Fund to support the adoption of emerging technologies by Portuguese companies. The party He arrives

it did not contain concrete measures in the area of ​​patent internationalization nor did it clarify how the incentive will be carried out in technological areas, however, it promoted the creation of a national campaign to combat piracy of journalistic publications and additional measures to protect copyright.

It was also proposed to create innovation centers and technology parks to develop innovation policies that encourage collaboration between universities, private companies and the public sector, with goals of investing in research and development, supporting technology transfer and encouraging entrepreneurship. In fact, there are already technology parks spread across the country. However, the question remains as to how this measure differs from others or whether other technology parks will be created and in which regions. To promote these innovation centers, it was suggested to create marketing campaigns, participate in national and international events and attract investors and partners.

Additionally, tax benefits and partnerships with private companies involved in innovation projects in strategic sectors were proposed. It should be noted that Chega also introduced measures related to the environment, although somewhat diffuse, by proposing additional tax benefits for projects that balance economic development with ecological preservation and that “apply innovative technologies, generate employment and place Portugal as a center of innovation and excellence in mining exploration.” A Liberal Initiative

proposed the implementation of a favorable tax regime for companies that invest in Research & Development (R&D), with a special focus on clinical trial projects with innovative drugs and medical devices that may give rise to new patent applications. He also highlighted the gradual elimination of exemptions to the private copying fee and the reduction of fees currently charged. Furthermore, he defended the liberalization of the book market and the repeal of the Fixed Book Price Law, arguing that book prices should be shaped by market competition to benefit consumers and promote greater diversity and innovation in the sector. Although the word “innovation” is mentioned only three times throughout the program, the program’s proposals Left Bloc

aimed, to a certain extent, at promoting and defending national culture, but also advancing proposals that would guarantee fair and equitable access to culture for all citizens. They proposed making all national works in the public domain available free of charge, along with the decriminalization of non-commercial sharing. They suggested a strategic program for archives, establishing criteria for the collection, preservation, documentation, digitization and public access to cultural works. In terms of access to cultural facilities, the Bloco de Esquerda defended a pricing policy that guaranteed the right of access to everyone, with free access programs for students, the unemployed and retired people, as well as affordable family tickets and access days free. Other proposals from the Bloco de Esquerda included the creation of new obligations for operators and distributors that were based on cultural content, such as quotas for independent Portuguese musical and audiovisual production. The end of the private copying fee was also mentioned and the promotion of the collective organization of the rights of authors, artists and performers. It is worth highlighting the importance that the Block gave to authors, artists and performers by guaranteeing fair retribution to creators in the transposition of directives relating to copyright in streaming

and the Digital Single Market. With regard to scientific research and technological development to modernize the means of production, the PCP

reinforced in its program the continuity of investment in these areas. Opposition to the patenting of life forms and the use of genetically modified organisms was highlighted. Regarding the digital environment, the party took a stance against censorship and hyper-surveillance, being in favor of Internet neutrality. It also committed to ensuring that the sharing of content in digital environments for non-commercial purposes was not criminalized, while defending – at the same time – respect for copyright online. It was also proposed the creation of a program to support small bookstores and independent publishers, the reformulation and reinforcement of the Literary Creation Grant Program.

Another highlight in the program on the topic of innovation was the creation of a Fund for Corporate Technological Innovation, which would be financed by companies contributing 1% of their Gross Value Added (GVA), applicable to those with a higher annual turnover to 5 million euros. This fund would have shared management and financing between the public and private sectors. O PAN committed to fostering innovation and sustainability in Portugal, with a special focus on the integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in key sectors to promote environmentally responsible economic development. To this end, it proposed implementing lines of support for business innovation aimed at creating new companies and products in the agri-food sector. These efforts aimed to present solutions to current environmental challenges and significantly contribute to reducing the country’s ecological footprint. It intended to intensively promote research and development in the area of ​​artificial intelligence and data science, especially focused on health. This included the creation of an investment fund dedicated to startups

innovations in the health sector, which offered differentiated treatments and contributed to the improvement of health care for patients.

As for the cultural sector, the PAN referred to the importance of allocating 1% of the State Budget for Culture until the end of the legislature. Additionally, the implementation of a pilot project for the institution of the Unconditional Basic Income (RBI) specifically aimed at cultural agents. To speed up the financing of cultural projects, the “Cultural Green Note” would be established, an initiative that aimed to simplify and accelerate the financing processes for projects that contributed positively to the cultural sector. At the same time, it committed to increasing the DGARTES allocation, thus ensuring adequate financing for eligible cultural projects. Support for publishers and the book sector was also a priority, with proposals for the reuse of books and the transition to digital formats as a way of reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Finally, the Free presented itself in interesting ways by proposing measures in several areas related to Intellectual Property, namely the creation and investment in school books with copyright licensescreative commons

. This proposal could have a significant impact on education, cutting costs and facilitating access to consultation on electronic devices. Also in this area of ​​open source licenses, Livre intended to propose that source codes developed with public money would be available under this type of licenses. Regarding the Directive on copyright and related rights in the digital single market, Livre proposed not transposing articles 3, 15 and 17, a measure that, if taken, would be illegal, as it would against European Union Law, which establishes that the aforementioned provisions are mandatory for transposition by the Member States. In the Livre program, several measures were also presented that promised to help small bookstores and second-hand booksellers through new frameworks for fixed prices and the implementation of tax benefits. Regarding cinema and audiovisual works, the implementation of the transposition of the audiovisual directive and taxing the profits of streaming platforms streaming,

so that this source of revenue could be used to finance the production of works in Portugal. In the area of ​​AI, he proposed the creation of a national agency for Artificial Intelligence with the aim of fostering and regulating development and innovation, promoting scientific research and the application of AI in technical and business contexts.