At the sitting held on 1 March, the members of the Committee on Science and Technological Development considered in principle the Bill on the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), Bill amending and modifying the Law on Scientific and Research Activities and Bill amending and modifying the Law on Innovation Activities, submitted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

The sitting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic and associates, Branko Kovacevic Rector of the University of Belgrade and representatives of SANU, Association of Institutes of Serbia and Serbian Inventors Association.

The Minister of Science and Technological Development outlined all three Bills for the Committee members.

Presenting the Bill on the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, he stressed that in the previous years SANU had launched a series of initiatives and become an important factor in the affirmation of Serbian science. The Bill shall remove the problems in the functioning of the institution, specify the definition of property, sources of finance, status of institutes within SANU, status of academicians and the issue of academic bonus. The Bill also defines that only SANU can represent Serbia on an international level.

Following a short debate, the Committee members unanimously accepted the Bill on the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts in principle.

The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Scientific and Research Activities introduces the creation of national institutes. They would not be financed institutionally, and the employment of 100 doctors of science would be the condition for their foundation. The Bill would offer solutions to the problem of doctoral studies and create a science popularisation centre where the young would learn about scientific achievements. The center’s task would be to popularise science on the whole territory of Serbia. The Bill would also realise the priorities outlined in the National Strategy of Scientific Development, particularly in view of the fact that Serbian science has been internationally recognised as science on the rise.

The Committee members accepted the Bill in principle by a majority of votes, with the reserved opinions of deputies Srboljub Zivanovic, Sreto Peric and Milorad Buha.

The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Innovation Activities defines the issue of intellectual property in such a way that property financed by state funds belongs to the institution, while the revenue from it would be split between the institution and the innovator. One part of the Bill resolves the payment of patents, and it also institutes a technology transfer centre and creates an innovation activities fund.

The Committee members accepted this Bill as well, in principle and by a majority of votes, with the reserved opinions of deputies Srboljub Zivanovic, Sreto Peric and Milorad Buha

The sitting was chaired by Srboljub Zivanovic, Committee Chairman.