State-owned companies will be obliged to support innovation by purchasing domestic hi-tech products

Photo: Vedomosti The

state can oblige state-owned companies to purchase at least 2% per year (of the total amount of contracts concluded) of high-tech innovative products. Such purchases are likely to become mandatory as early as 2016, Vedomosti writes . They are charged with the obligation to support domestic innovations also for small and medium-sized businesses, such companies will purchase at least 1% of the corresponding products per year.

Two years after the introduction of new work rules, the norms will be increased to 5% and 2.5%, respectively. According to the representative of the Ministry of Economic Development, all this will provide new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses, it is also a way to increase demand for high-tech products. Accordingly, the business will have access to the orders of state-owned companies, and will be able to develop and implement its own technologies. As for the amounts of contracts, only last year Gazprom entered into contracts for a total amount of 817 billion rubles, Rosneft - for 1.4 trillion, plus Russian Railways for 904.9 billion rubles.

According to a study by the Higher School of Economics (HSE), state-owned companies currently invest approximately 16% of their total revenue in innovative programs. The growth of such projects is quite noticeable, for example, in 2010 financing amounted to 172 billion rubles, and in 2013 financing increased to 391 billion rubles. The ratio of expenses to revenue also increased from 1.5% in 2010 to 2% in 2013. 10 state-owned companies accounted for 80% of the increase in extrabudgetary funding. At the same time, non-budget sources made a small contribution to innovation - only about 0.2% in three years.



At the same time, only 1-2% of innovative projects meet the criteria adopted in the Russian Federation, says Arkady Paserba from the Academy of Public Administration. The main problem in this area is the lack of proper management and proper allocation of resources.

Naturally, the difficult economic situation in the country also affects innovation. Thus, labor productivity of non-oil companies slowed down growth - from 10% in 2011 to 3% in 2013. Now companies have to look for access to new markets, including the market for import-substituting products.