Bill 98.

Summary.

The bill establishes a minimum level of annual public expenditure on investment in scientific research, development and innovation in the Republic of Panama. That expenditure would be no less than one percent (1 %) of the previous year's gross domestic product. The proposed rule uses the preceding year's gross domestic product as its reference and applies to annual public expenditure devoted to those activities. Half of the resources covered by that investment would go to the National Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation (Fondo Nacional para la Ciencia, la Tecnología y la Innovación, FONACIT).

The other half could be allocated to various strategic areas. These include science and technology education and training programs for students, teachers and researchers. The bill also provides for the construction and equipping of laboratories and research centers as investment in scientific infrastructure. For regional initiatives, it identifies support for projects that promote scientific and technological development in different parts of the country. These allocations are presented as possible uses of that half of the resources.

Article 1 also includes cooperation between universities and the private sector to develop research, development and innovation projects. It adds funding for scholarships for postgraduate and doctoral students in fields related to science and technology. The article thus groups education, infrastructure, regional projects, cooperation between universities and businesses, and scholarships among the possible investment areas. Allocation of half the resources to the fund is framed as a requirement; allocation of the other half to the listed areas is framed as a possibility.

Article 2 makes compliance with the National Strategic Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (Plan Estratégico Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, PENCYT) and the National Policy for Science, Technologies and Innovation (Política Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnologías e Innovación) approved by the Interministerial Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (Consejo Interministerial de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, CICYT) mandatory. It provides that failure to comply would give rise to liability for breaches of public servants' duties on the part of the holders of the relevant offices. This provision connects implementation of the approved plan and policy with the duties attached to those offices.

The public bodies related to the bill are the Interministerial Council for Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation. Given the listed investment areas, the bill could concern or affect students, teachers, researchers, universities, research centers and private sector businesses, as well as regional scientific and technological initiatives.