Economic News

Notice in relation to the pandemic caused by COVID-19

Notice in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic on the extension of the duration of projects funded from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, on the performance of mandatory commitments and monitoring indicators and on the extension of certain deadlines set out in the funding agreements.

In consideration of the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the state of danger declared in Hungary, and the expected economic and social consequences of the situation, the NRDI Office notifies the beneficiaries of projects funded from the NRDI Fund in relation to 1) the extension of project durations, 2) mandatory commitments and monitoring indicators specified in the funding documents (hereinafter: Funding Agreement), and 3) compliance with certain deadlines set out in the Funding Agreement.

1) Extension of the duration of funded projects

Pursuant to Section 18 of Government Decree 85/2020 (IV. 5.) on the specific rules applicable in domestic and administrative affairs in a state of danger the duration of projects

implemented until the termination of the state of danger and
in progress when the state of danger was declared (11 March 2020) (the legal provision applies to projects that meet both conditions)

is extended with a period equal to the period of the state of danger.

The above provision also applies to projects for which the funding relationship was established in the period of the state of danger.

Please note that the measure creates an option (not an obligation) for beneficiaries to extend the duration of their projects. Beneficiaries will decide for themselves whether to take the option or stick to their original project schedule.

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Source: https://nkfih.gov.hu

Information on the extension of deadlines for the utilisation of funds

Information on the extension of deadlines for the utilisation of funds awarded under the Thematic Excellence Programme and the New National Excellence Programme.

In consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of danger declared in Hungary as a result, the National Research, Development and Innovation (NRDI) Office informs the beneficiaries of ongoing projects funded in 2019 under the Thematic Excellence Programme, the Excellence Programme for Higher Education Institutions and the New National Excellence Programme as follows:

In view of Section 18(1) of Government Decree 85/2020 (IV. 5.) on the specific rules applicable in domestic and administrative affairs in a state of danger, based on the decision of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology as the funding entity, the NRDI Office extends the deadline for the utilisation of awarded funds

until 30 November 2020, or until the deadline set out in Section 18(1) of Government Decree 85/2020 (IV. 5.), whichever is later, for projects funded under the Thematic Excellence Programme or the Excellence Programme for Higher Education Institutions;
until 31 December 2020, or until the deadline set out in Section 18(1) of Government Decree 85/2020 (IV. 5.), whichever is later, for projects funded under the New National Excellence Programme.

Section 18(1) of Government Decree 85/2020 (IV. 5.) stipulates as follows: “the duration of funded activities governed by funding relationships under projects/programmes implemented from public funding from the central budget until the termination of the state of danger and being within the relevant implementation period when the state of danger was declared, shall be extended with a period equal to the period of the state of danger.”

The extension applies to beneficiary institutions whose projects are currently in progress based on the provision regulating the deadline for the utilisation of funds in the relevant funding agreement, funding document or other agreement.

Please note that the extension is only an option to utilise the awarded funds in a longer period of time. If the beneficiary institution can submit the report on the utilisation of funds to the NRDI Office earlier, it may certainly do so in line with the terms of the funding agreement, funding document or other agreement.

The NRDI Office gives effect to the extension in an amending document which will be sent to the beneficiary institutions electronically.

Budapest, 08 April 2020

National Research, Development and Innovation Office

Source:https://nkfih.gov.hu

Territorial Innovation Platform established at Szent István University

The Territorial Innovation Platforms (TIP) initiative was launched in October last year by the National Research, Development and Innovation (NRDI) Office, with the policy support of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology. So far, the charter document has been signed by 11 universities in Budapest and six more in rural Hungary, and today Szent István University also established its TIP.

The initiative aims to facilitate territorial partnerships across the country based on university knowledge bases with an aim to ensure direct access to information about innovation policy directions, enable and strengthen cooperation between local innovators, and create new professional foundations.

The future performance and competitiveness of the new Hungarian innovation ecosystem largely depend on increased local cooperation between stakeholders, such as policy-makers, higher education and research institutions, businesses and professional organisations; which can boost the innovation potential of each region in line with the priorities of the Smart Specialisation Strategy. To this end, building on the existing university centres and focusing on the real strengths of key regional innovators, the NRDI Office intends to create new hubs which adopt a new approach to facilitate information flow, knowledge transfer, collaboration and networking.

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Source: https://nkfih.gov.hu

2020 Business Year Launch- HCCI Conference

Companies must leave their comfort zone if they want to avoid their business collapse, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a conference organised by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry today to launch the 2020 business year. Focussing on short and long term affects of the Coronavirus epidemic, he said the government and the Central Bank will help those in trouble.
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Hungarian Startup University Programme to kick off in September

This is the first practice-oriented, quality-assured programme on startups, market environment and the operation of innovative businesses that provides the same high level of training in every part of the country.

In 2019, the Expert Panel on Startups of the National Research, Development and Innovation (NRDI) Office published a package of proposals for the startup ecosystem, including a proposal on the Hungarian Startup University Programme. The first e-learning course is going to be available in many universities across the country in September 2020, with the policy support of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (ITM).

There is a significant untapped potential in the heads of university students, and the market is always open to good ideas. However, there seems to be a long way to go before knowledge on innovation becomes widely available and before a good idea can reach the prototype and startup stage. The Hungarian Startup University Programme aims to speed up this process by introducing young people to the world of innovation and providing them a practical guide to starting a business.

Startup skills are in demand nearly everywhere

Students will develop an entrepreneurial mindset and solution-oriented thinking in the programme. The aim is not to produce thousands of startups but to spark interest in this world. However, if they feel like starting a business later on, we will give all the support they need – said Krisztián Kölkedi, senior adviser on youth strategy and startups of the NRDI Office.

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Source: https://nkfih.gov.hu