Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijani High-Tech Park under the High Technologies and Communications Ministry signed an agreement on strategic partnership with "Sophia Antipolis", the ministry said on March 28.

Sophia Antipolis, the most influential technology park in Europe, is a technology park in France, primarily including companies in the fields of computing, electronics, pharmacology, and biotechnology.

This public organization was established in 1984 and became the first industrial park in Europe. It is located on the French Riviera on a territory of 2.4 thousand hectares, housing 30,000 people and 1,400 organizations with a turnover of €4.8 billion.

"The agreement was signed in the city of Nice, France. An agreement was reached on exchanging database and organizing mutual visits to develop the services rendered in the field of ICT, alternative energy, and the so-called 'cluster support'," the ministry said.

Similar agreements are planned to be signed with other technology parks in the world.

The High-Tech Park has already approved the regulation and held meetings with potential foreign investors and companies.

The beginning of the Park's activities will ensure the creation of modern complexes for research, and the development of new information technologies. The Park will also play an important role in the sustainable development of economy and competitiveness in the country.

The Park, which is under construction, will cover a 50-hectare area in the Pirallahi district of Baku. Work is currently underway to build the Park, construct the necessary infrastructure, study pertinent international experiences, and address other organizational issues.

The Park is seeking opportunities to attract major foreign investments at present.

The Business Incubation Center of the Park has already accepted 20 projects. Once the projects reach the desired stage of development, the next step will be shifting them to the High-Tech Park, which will provide tax and customs privileges to its residents.

Residents and companies operating in the Park will be exempt from the 18 percent VAT on imported infrastructural and technological goods and services. The park participants will also be exempt from tax and customs duty for seven years.