Dissemination > Programme Information > Luxembourg

Luxembourg - National Programme Information

National policies

There are investments and fundamental research, industrial research and pre-competitive development activities and related activities as laid down by law and carried out by companies and research centres that fall within the scope of application of the law. There are the following pre-competitive development activities:

investments, operations, programs or projects aimed at identifying, defining, studying, designing, developing, perfecting or testing new, amended or improved products, services, techniques or processes that may lead to subsequent marketing or to industrial or commercial application;
pilot projects or demonstration projects carried out with a view to testing or confirming new theoretical or practical knowledge or results connected to new, amended or improved products, services, techniques or processes;
definition or feasibility studies, monitoring technological development, gaining increased knowledge or circulating knowledge or know-how in the form of the transfer of techniques, patents or other intellectual property rights, training, the temporary exchange or employment of researchers, provided that these researchers work full-time on R&D in companies or research centres

Priority areas

Luxembourg has a maritime shipping register and a register of inland vessels. The legislation is contained in the Law of 9 November 1990 (as amended), and secondary regulations of 24 December 1990. The Luxembourg maritime register is not a "flag of convenience". It is a serious, respectable flag that offers specific benefits to ship owners, including business and fiscal advantages; Favourable and flexible employment/labour laws; Favourable social security rules; Respectability as a financial centre; Minimal bureaucracy; and Possible evolution into an EC flag.

Funding organisations

The governance structure is composed of The Ministry of the Economy and Foreign Trade responsible for the research in the private sector and the Ministry of Culture, Higher Education and Research in charge of the research in the public sector. The Ministry of Middle Classes, Tourism and Housing, is going to have an increased role in the next years since it is responsible since 2003 for the management of a new innovation and R&D incentive scheme aimed at financing projects of small and medium-sized companies. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of State, Media and Communication Service, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment are also playing a role but in a more peripheral way. The inter-ministerial coordination committee for technological research and development has the mission to coordinate research policy.

The National Research Fund (FNR) co-finances projects in the field of industrial technologies via its multi-annual programmes “Innovative materials and nanotechnologies“(NANO), “Surface Treatment” (TRASU) and “Food safety” (SECAL).

Programme information

There is no maritime program in Luxembourg. Some research will be performed in the following topics:

International technology transfer in Luxembourg: the IRC network
EUREKA in Luxembourg: a network for market-oriented industrial R&D and innovation
Starting an innovative business in Luxembourg
European Framework Programme for Research & Technological Development in Luxembourg
Technology clusters in Luxembourg: AeroSpace, InfoCom & SurfMat
Luxembourg in space with ESA: European Space Agency

Contact Point

Fonds National de la Recherche

6, rue Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (3e étage)

BP 1777

L-1017 Luxembourg-Kirchberg

Dr. Carlo Duprel

Tel: 00352-261925-37

Fax: 00352-261925-35

Email: carlo.duprel@fnr.lu
URL: www.fnr.lu
URL: www.innovation.public.lu/servlet/front

back