On June 28, Minsk /BelTA correspondent/. Measures of state support for innovation activities are planned to be enshrined in legislation in Belarus. This was reported to a BelTA correspondent by Nikolai Kazak, Deputy Chairman of the Standing Commission of the House of Representatives on Education, Culture, Science and Scientific and Technical Progress. Currently, a new draft law "On State Innovation Policy and Innovation Activities" is under consideration in the parliament. According to the deputy, this document is designed to "define a clear mechanism for state stimulation of innovation activity." For example, it provides for the stimulation of innovators (including material incentives) and the protection of their personal rights to intellectual property objects. Among the main tasks of the state innovation policy are also the stimulation of the creation and development of organizations engaged in innovation activities, and the development of public-private partnerships in this area. For the first time at the legislative level, the concepts of innovative goods and innovation and technological audit have been introduced. "The concept of 'innovative goods' is introduced in order to focus state support on commercially promising projects and production. As one of the forms of such state support, it is envisaged to provide tax benefits to organizations that produce and sell their own innovative goods," explained Nikolai Kazak. A separate chapter of the draft law is devoted to venture financing and innovation infrastructure. However, the deputy believes that the draft law is not sufficiently prepared for consideration in the Oval Hall, and work on this document will continue. For now, deputies, together with the developers of the draft law, are conducting a detailed elaboration of concepts, many of which will appear in Belarusian legislation for the first time. In addition, according to the deputy, the draft law needs to more thoroughly prescribe the principles of public-private partnership in the field of innovation. In his opinion, the issue of creating and managing venture funds is not sufficiently detailed. Nikolai Kazak assured that the deputies of the House of Representatives will continue to work with interested parties to eliminate the shortcomings of the new draft law so that it is truly effective and contributes to the development of innovation in Belarus.-0-

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