Govt approved strategic technology committee

The government approved the creation of a new strategic technology committee that will systematically manage and support the development of strategic technologies and products. It will operate under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This was stated at a press conference after the government meeting by the Minister of Industry and Trade and Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček (for ANO).

The committee would be under the Industry and Trade Ministry (MPO), cooperating with other ministries, too. Havlicek, who is both Transport and MPO Minister, expects the committee to coordinate the support of certification, smart investments and strategic state purchases that Czechia is missing now, he said.

The event was attended also by representatives of the Czech Technical University (CVUT) who presented the health and protective equipment developed in the CVUT laboratories. "The foundation document of the new strategic committee was sent to the government today," Havlicek said. The office will aim at economic issues that are crucial for the strategic security of the Czech Republic, he added.

Czechia has survived the first wave of the epidemic, but has to be ready for the future, he said. Key strategic technologies and products should be systematically monitored, governed and encouraged across the whole government, Havlicek said. The committee should also handle Czech crisis management. It should focus on timely support for research and development, smart investments and certification of products developed within the strategic projects.

Furthermore, the committee will also manage purchases of strategic products that Czechia is unable to produce. When crisis arises, all critical products should be ready, which is not the case now, Havlicek said, adding that the committee would serve permanently, not only in the times of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Havlicek noted that the last spring crisis has proved the cooperation of scientists and academicians successful. Together, they have developed products that were not available on the market. Among them, FFP3 face mask or the Corovent lung ventilator that started to be produced by the MICo Medical company in Trebic, Vysocina region, in the spring. The ventilator got the FDA EUA certification (Emergency Use Authorization) that should enable selling the machines abroad. The company is negotiating the supplies for Brasil, MICo Medical head Jiri Denner said.

Since Czech hospitals have enough lung ventilators so far, Corovent is not used there. When the crisis is over, the committee should be a counselling body for the MPO. In the times of crisis, its chairman might be invited to attend the Central Crisis Staff (UKS) meetings. Should the situation be critical, the committee might be subordinated to the UKS.

The committee chair is to be appointed and withdrawn by the MPO minister who chooses the person out of his or her deputies. The vice chair and secretary are to be appointed by the committee's chair. Other members of the committee should be deputy ministers from the MPO, defence, agriculture and foreign ministries, as well as members of the Government Office. Representatives of the following institutions will also participate: the Confederation of Industry, the Czech Chamber of Commerce and the Czech Union of Towns and Municipalities.

The committee will be accountable to the government, handing an annual report of its projects.

Source: ČTK