Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed into law on Monday a measure eliminating bureaucratic obstacles to scientific research and aiming to promote innovation and production of technology in South America’s largest economy.
The new legislation “will have extraordinary impact on competitiveness and productivity,” she said during the signing ceremony in the presidential palace.
The National Code of Science, Technology and Innovation was passed by Congress last month.
One provision allows public laboratories to forgo a competitive bidding process when they acquire raw materials for use in research and development.
The legislation also facilitates cooperation between public and private scientific research institutions, permitting scientists working for government agencies to do paid work for private companies, which was previously prohibited.
In a press conference following the signing ceremony, Helena Nader, president of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science, said the law “is fantastic” for researchers.
“We will be able to have several MITs,” Nader said in a reference to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.