Decision No. 903, dated 26.8.

2009

On establishing the Agency for Research, Technology and Innovation (ARTI) Based on the article 100 of the Constitution, article 10 of the Law no. 9000 dated 30.1.2003 On the organization and functioning of the Council of Ministers, articles 5 and 45 of the Law no. 9936 dated 26.6.2008 On the management of the budgeting system in the Republic of Albania and based on the article 12 of the Law no. 10025 dated 27.11.2008 Budget of the year 2009, with the proposal of the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers Decided: 1. The creation of the Agency for Research, Technology and Innovation (ARTI), as a juridical public institution under the competences of the Council of Ministers. ARTI has its headquarters in Tirana and has its own emblem. 2. The mission of ARTI is to support, monitor and evaluate programs and projects in the field of science, technology and innovation (STI), at the national level. 3. To realize the mission defined in the point 2 of this decision, ARTI has the following duties: a. To cooperate with the ministries and other institutions in implementing the strategy of STI and to promote research in the field of science, technology and innovation; b. To give financial support to programs and projects of STI, in accordance with the priorities defined by the Council of Ministers, based on the assessment made by the relevant commissions; c. To develop application procedures for the preliminary evaluation, monitoring, and final assessment of the programs and projects of STI; d. To monitor and to evaluate activities of STI, at the national level; e. Creates and enriches, continuously, the database of the analysis and documentation of the STI system; f. To offer technical assistance to all of the institutions in regard to investments in the field of STI; g. To promote the setting up of all levels of STI structures; h. To promote the cooperation with the private sector in the fields of STI; i. To promote, to give expertise, to coordinate and to monitor the bilateral and multilateral cooperation with EU, foreign countries and international organizations in the field of STI; j. To implement governmental policies aiming at giving priority to qualified scientists, research teams and centers of excellence, in the field of STI;

k. To implement governmental policies encouraging student and young scientists to participate in the activities in the field of STI; l. To implement inciting governmental policies on brain gain and on the increase of engagement of the Albanian intellectual Diaspora in the development of education, science, public administration and the private sector in Albania; m. To offer technical support for the institutions of the executive, legislative and the other institutions, in improving the fulfillment of the necessary legal framework and legal acts in the field of STI;

4. ARTI is a budgetary institution and it is funded by: a. State budged, in the form of a grant, budget line Funds for science, technology and innovation (STI), detailed as follows: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. The fund for national research and development programs; The fund for research infrastructure; The fund for centers of excellence in research; The fund for the transfer of technology and innovation; The fund for the new researchers; The fund for the Brain Gain program;

b. Funding is made available by: i. Third parties, with a destination towards STI; ii. From EU programs and projects, from specific countries and partner organizations; iii. Donations from physical and judicial subjects, national and international; iv. From the private sector, national and international; 5. ARTI uses the budget to fund staff salaries and for other expenses, in view of meeting the operational and implementation of agency duties; 6. The managing structures of ARTI are: a. Governing Board; b. Director - General; 7. The Governing Board is a collegial decision making body, which is headed by the Minister of Education of Science. 7.1 The members of the Governing Board, approved by a Prime Ministers Decree are: Deputy Minister of Finance, covering financial issues Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy, covering the issues of technology and innovation; - Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection; - Deputy Minister of Health;

Head of the Conference of Rectors; Scientific Secretary of the Academy of Science; A representative from the private universities, holding a scientific title Doctor, who is proposed by the Conference of Rectors, holding a 4 year mandate; Chairman of the Union of Chambers of Trade and Industry;

7.2 The main functions of the Governing Board are as follows: a. To propose to the Prime Minister the necessary fund for science, technology and innovation including the necessary funds for the functioning of ARTI; b. To approve funding of programs and projects of ARTI, in accordance with: i. STI, foreseen in the budget law; ii. Priorities defined by the Council of Ministers; iii. Ranking of program and project evaluation committees; c. To authorize the Director - General of ARTI to sign the implementation contracts of the approved programs and projects; d. To approve the report of the ARTI activities, which is sent to the Prime Minister and is made public; e. To organize contests for the Director - General of ARTI; f. To approve the members of the program and project assessment committees, according to the scientific fields, based on the proposal of the Director General of ARTI; g. To evaluate and to approve the monitoring and evaluation reports of the programs and projects financed by the ARTI; 7.3. The governing board functions based on the principle of one member one vote. 7.4. The Chairman and the board members receive a monthly wage, equal to the 15% of the salary of the Secretary General at the Ministry level. The Board meets not less than 6 times a year. 8. The Director General of ARTI is the head of the institution and represents it in relations with the third parties. 8.1 The Director - General of ARTI must hold the scientific title Doctor, have known contribution in the field of science, technology and innovation. 8.2. The Director - General of ARTI is selected by the Governing Board of the Agency and is appointed by the Prime Minister, with a 4 years mandate, with the right ot be reelected. The Director - General may be dismissed before the expiry of the mandate with the proposal of the governing board or with the initiative of the Prime Minister.

8.3 The governing board proposes to the Prime Minister 3 candidates, selected by a contest, which is organized in full accordance with the procedures foreseen in the law of the civil servant status. 9. On issues regarding the evaluation of the programs and projects, ARTI depends on the expertise of the program and project evaluation commissions, which are proposed by the General Director and approved by the governing board, in full accordance with the governing regulation of the Agency. 10. ARTI has in total 15 employees. The structure of this agency is approved within a month from the entry into force of this Decision, with a Prime Ministers Decree. 11. The functioning of the ARTI is regulated in full accordance with governing regulation of the agency, which is prepared by the General Director, in cooperation with the governing board, and it is approved with a Prime Ministers Decree. 12. The staff appointment procedures are in full accordance with the procedures foreseen in the law of the civil servant status. 13. The Prime Ministers office is responsible for finding the venue of the residence of the ARTI. 14. The members of the governing board and the General Director of the ARTI will be appointed within 2 months from the entry into force of this decision. 15. For the year 2009, the ARTI will be financed from the budged approved from the Council of Ministers. 16. To the budged approved for the year 2009 for the Prime Minister office, voice Investments, should be added ALL 10 000 000 for the reconstruction and the furniture of the work offices and 5 000 000, for the fund of salaries and other expenses, necessary for the activities of ARTI for this year. 17. The funds mentioned in the article 16 of this decision, should be used from the reserve fund of the State Budged. 18. The administration of the programs and projects in the field of research and development, which fall under ARTI activities, actually implemented by other institutions, should be transferred to this agency, on January 1st, 2010. 19. The Ministry of Finance is in charge to implement this decision. This decision shall enter into force upon the publication in the Official Gazette

PRIME MINISTER

SALI BERISHA