The Spanish National R&TD Plan is composed of thematic areas, each one divided into National Programs and Strategic Actions.

The IST area includes the following:

• National programme on Electronics and Communications Technology
• Strategic action on Digital TV
• National programme on Informatics
• National programme on Technologies of Services in the Information Society
• Horizontal action on Trust and Security on Information and Communications

Beneficiaries:

• Industries (including SMEs)
• Public and private research institutes (*)
• Universities (*)

(*) Only participants in cooperative projects. Solicitant should be an industry

Modalities of funding:

• Loans: up to 75% of the total budget of the project. Payback term: 7 years, including a 2 years grace period.
• Grants: The following percentages:
• Industrial research: up to 50% (60% for SMEs)
• Technological development: up to 25% (35% for SMEs)

Types of projects:

• Individual project
• Cooperative project: led by and industry who acts as coordinator and responsible to the Spanish Administration

Items suceptibles of funding:

• Direct labour costs
• Subcontractings up to 50% of budget
• Fungible materials
• Equipment and Instrumentation
• Other general expenses (overheads and travel expenses) with a limit of 15% of labour costs

All the expenses should be directly related to project.

The procedure of funding is: Competitive calls.

Procedure of funding concession:

• Publication of Call for funding in the Spanish Official Journal
• Submission of applications:
• Application and Questionnaire
• Technical Project Proposal
• The applications must be presented within the next 30 days after the call publication.
• Evaluation: It will be carried out by the Ministry of Industry staff and other public institutions depending on the Ministry. Also external experts may be used.
• Provisional notification: within 4 months after submission
• Ministerial Resolution: within 6 months after submission
• All payments will be advanced: companies must set up bank quarantees, if needed 
• Justification of the project: Beneficiaries must submit the cost statement of all expenses and related technical report within 3 months after the end of the year financed.