The Regional Government of Extremadura and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology and Innovation (CDTI), under the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the main public body for funding business R&D&I in Spain, have established a joint commission to define actions aimed at promoting innovation and technological development in the region.
Following the agreement signed on February 26 between the Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation, and the CDTI, members of the joint commission met this Tuesday at the Cork, Wood and Charcoal Institute in Mérida to prepare an action plan to boost regional R&D.
This meeting marks the first step in drafting a detailed action plan that includes information exchange, training for employees of the Regional Government and regional entities, and the organization of institutional events to improve coordination and support for R&D&I.
During the meeting, the representatives of the Regional Government of Extremadura and the CDTI were appointed. Representing the Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training are Javier de Francisco Morcillo, Secretary General for Science, Technology and Innovation, and José Luis Canito, Managing Director of FUNDECYT-PCTEX.
From the Ministry of Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation, the representatives are Víctor Píriz Maya, Secretary General for Economy, Business and Trade, and Ana Belén Muriel, Coordinator of the Innovation and R&D&I Financing Area at Extremadura Avante.
Representing the CDTI are Juan Antonio Tébar Chumillas, Director of Innovation Policies; María Pilar González Gotor, Head of the Department for Institutional Promotion and Territorial Cooperation; Javier García Serrano, Head of the Industrial Leadership Department; and Carlos Ignacio Franco Alonso, from the Department for Institutional Promotion and Territorial Cooperation.
Regarding funding, the agreement establishes coordination guidelines between existing aid programs in Extremadura and the CDTI, promoting complementarity and co-financing of projects based on budget and funding sources. Additionally, both institutions will work on creating a joint mechanism to help companies obtain guarantees to access CDTI’s repayable aid.
To attract European funds, the goal is to significantly increase the participation of entities from Extremadura. To this end, the CDTI will provide the Regional Government with regular updates on its international network, and outreach activities will be carried out through institutional events and national, regional, and local media, as well as specific workshops tailored to identified R&D needs.
