Law “On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation” is passed

As of 11 July, the federal law of 28 June, 2014 # 172-FZ “On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation” became effective. The system of major documents which define approaches to planning and forecasting now includes Russian S&T foresight. The Higher School of Economics, and in particular the ISSEK experts were commissioned by the RF Ministry of Education and Science to coordinate its development.

The law sets the legal basis for targeting, forecasting, planning, and programming socio-economic development of the Russian Federation, its regions, and industries.

Article 3 defines Russian S&T foresight. It’s “a strategic planning document which comprises a system of scientifically justified concepts of directions and expected results of S&T development of the Russian Federation and its regions in the long term”.

Article 11 classifies Russian S&T foresight as a strategic planning document, along with the annual presidential address to the RF Federal Assembly; RF socio-economic development strategy; RF national security strategy; RF strategic forecast; RF socio-economic development forecast; RF budget forecast; RF national programmes, etc.

In para. 3, article 11 of the law Russian S&T foresight is listed as the first strategic planning document to be developed in the course of forecasting studies. Detailed definition of Russian S&T foresight is provided in article 22:

1. Russian S&T foresight is developed on the basis of the RF president’s decisions every six years, covering a period of 12 or more years, by the executive agency responsible for setting government policy and preparing legislation in the field of research, S&T and innovation, taking into account priority science, technology and engineering development areas in the Russian Federation; list of critical technologies for the Russian Federation; and on the basis of data provided by federal executive agencies, regional executive agencies, and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

2. Russian S&T foresight includes the following:

1) estimates of the current level and potential for S&T development in the RF, benchmarked against global trends;

2) analysis and forecast of external conditions and trends for S&T development in the RF;

3) analysis of macroeconomic, structural, and institutional factors affecting long-term S&T development in the RF;

4) sector (industry) specific S&T foresight, including for Russian regions;

5) directions of S&T development in the RF, and main areas for improving S&T policy;

6) other provisions determined by the RF president and the RF government.

3. The federal executive agency responsible for setting government policy and preparing legislation in the field of research, S&T and innovation coordinates and provides methodological support for development and adjustment of Russian S&T foresight.

4. Russian S&T foresight is approved by the RF government.

5. Procedures for development and adjustment of Russian S&T foresight are set by the RF government.

The law “On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation” will raise the setting of long-term S&T development priorities in Russia to a radically new, systemic level. The next logical step is developing national S&T foresight system “oriented towards meeting prospective demand by the manufacturing sector of the economy, taking into account development of key production technologies” – the work started off by president Vladimir Putin’s decree “On long-term national economic policy” of 7 May, 2012. Certain results (methodological and practical) in terms of implementing such systemic approach have been achieved in the course of many years of work by the experts participating in development of Russian S&T Foresight 2030, coordinated by the NRU HSE.