The National Scientific, Research and Technological Development and Innovation Plan 2008-2011 (Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica) is the programming tool used by the Spanish Science and Technology System to carry out the aims and priorities of the research and innovation policy in the medium term. This provides the following basic principles that shall guide all R+D+i actions and, therefore, those receiving finance under the National Plan: firstly, the research and innovation activities shall be placed at the service of citizens, social welfare and sustainable development, with full, equal employment for women; secondly, these shall represent an enhancement of the company's competitiveness and thirdly, they shall be an essential element for the generation of new knowledge.
The National Scientific, Research and Technological Development and Innovation Plan 2008-2011 is structured on four areas directly related to the general aims of the plan: the first area is related to the generation of knowledge and capabilities; the second to promoting R+D+i cooperation; the third to sectoral technological development and innovation; and the fourth to strategic actions.
In order to comply with these aims, the new Plan envisages six instrumental lines of action, one of which deals with the use of knowledge and technological transference. This instrumental line is structured through a single national programme for technological transference, the assessment and promotion of technologically based companies, whose aim is to guarantee transference of the results of the research carried out thanks to public financing, as well as to extend and boost those measures that that enhance the processes used for technological and knowledge transference between the private and public sector.
