Events organized during CZ PRES

Prague meeting of the BusinessEurope Council of Presidents, trip of 27 ambassadors to Moravian-Silesian Region, meeting with Members of the European Parliament, discussion between members of the Confederation and new BusinessEurope leaders, meeting with influential Czech nationals in Brussels and international energy policy workshop. These were the main events organized by the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (CoI) during the past half year in scope of the Czech presidency to the Council of the EU. Let’s have a closer look at them in order to remind them.

In connection with the Czech presidency to the Council of the EU, the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic organized a series of CZ PRES events for its members which focused on challenges that Czech and other European companies face at present. After two pandemic years and various restrictions that ensued, Czech companies and entrepreneurs face the energy crisis caused by the Russian aggressive war in Ukraine as well as a number other serious problems including high inflation rate, loss of export markets, disruption of the supply chains, labour shortage etc. That is why these issues were addressed in the list of priorities of the Confederation for the Czech presidency and members of the Confederation had the opportunity to seek together the most suitable solutions to these very problems during the presidential events in order to keep Czech industry and entrepreneurs competitive.

Prague Meeting of the BusinessEurope Council of Presidents

Meeting of the Council of Presidents of BusinessEurope, the Confederation of European Businesses, took place on June 2 – 3, 2022 and was attended by more than 100 Presidents, Directors General and permanent delegates of 40 European Confederations of Industry from 35 European countries. Participants discussed current topics and business priorities for the upcoming half year. Apart from that, the participants met the Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Jozef Síkela, the Speaker of Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the CR, Markéta Pekarová Adamová. They also visited the ŠKODA Auto factory in Mladá Boleslav.

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Confederation of Industry Hosted a Visit of the Ambassadors to the Council of Permanent Representatives of the Council of the EU from 27 Countries to Moravian-Silesian Region

Confederation of Industry in cooperation with the Moravian-Silesian region hosted a visit to this very region for the ambassadors to the Council of Permanent Representatives of the Council of the EU from 27 countries (so called COREPER I). During this 3-day trip, which took place on July 7-9, the ambassadors were presented with the history, current state and outlook for the industry in this region, which is one of the most industrial regions in CEE. The participants were presented with stories of several Confederation member businesses from the region and got the opportunity to see the transformation which the region has undergone and is still undergoing since the era of heavy industry towards modern production and sustainability.

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trinec prohlidka coreperVisit of New BusinessEurope President to the Czech Confederation of Industry

The newly elected President of BusinessEurope, Fredrik Persson, and BusinessEurope Director General, Markus Beyrer, took part in the meeting of CoI EU Expert Team. The main agenda item was how to address the energy crisis in Europe, benefits of cooperation between CoI and BusinessEurope, international relations of the EU with third countries, barriers on the Single Market, Green Deal, digital economy, labour market flexibility as well as other up-to-date topics.

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President Persson had an opportunity to discuss priorities of European businesses also during his meeting with the Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela and Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marek Havrda. With regard to the ongoing energy and economic crisis all government representatives expressed their appreciation of intensive cooperation with the Czech Confederation of Industry.

In our latest Spektrum magazine you can find an interview with new Business Europe president, F. Persson.

Meeting with Members of the European Parliament Co-organized by CEBRE

In early November, the Confederation of Industry hosted a regular debate of founding members of the Czech Business Representation to the EU in Brussels with members of the European Parliament. The meeting was attended by MEP Martin Hlaváček, MEP Ondřej Knotek, MEP Kateřina Konečná, MEP Ondřej Kovařík and MEP Jan Zahradil. The main discussion topics were the current economic crisis in Europe and the future of the EU common trade policy including its consequences and benefits for Czech companies hit by the energy and economic crises. President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic Jaroslav Hanák supported ambitious EU trade policy heading to greater export diversification.

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Debate participants agreed that companies are not entirely familiar with benefits of open trade policy and of trade agreements between the EU and third countries, even though they can bring about numerous advantages to them (e.g. CETA agreement with Canada). MEPs also answered questions regarding problematic ratifications of some of the agreed FTAs and brought some light to the actual state of the EC Global Gateway initiative.

Breakfast with Influential Czech Nationals in Brussels

Number of officials from the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament including several MEP’s accepted invitation to a CZ PRES meeting with leading representatives and member companies of the CoI, which was kindly co-hosted by the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU in Brussels. Main topics discussed at this meeting concerned progress in the CoI priority areas in the last six months. Representatives of member companies pointed out namely the importance of adequate measures in the area of energy policy and ensuring of safe supplies of raw materials, as well as measures concerning sustainability, Green Deal, future of EU single market, decarbonisation, digitalisation, dealing with the impacts of the war in Ukraine, adequacy of legislative regulation and the still pressing issues resulting from the COVID pandemic. Member companies agreed that it is necessary for the EU institutions to listen more closely to the needs of business and employers and to react more swiftly to challenges that the European economy is facing.

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International Energy Policy Workshop

The Confederation of Industry organized an international workshop entitled ”Turbulent year for business – soaring energy prices, war in Ukraine and security of energy supplies”. This workshop successfully wrapped up the series of CZ PRES events prepared by CoI. Number of high ranking government officials, representatives of private companies as well as the Deputy of BusinessEurope Director General and other participants contributed to the fruitful discussion. Government officials presented national crisis support plans for companies and measures for ensuring safe energy supplies. Business representatives shared their real-life experience with tackling the energy crisis and key conditions the government and EU institutions must meet in order to overcome the crisis successfully. Representative of the Swedish Association of Engineering Industries presented visions and plans for Swedish presidency to the Council of the EU, which starts at the beginning of 2023.

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Other activities

Confederation of Industry as one of the founding members of CEBRE - the Czech Business Representation to the EU in Brussels also took an active part in celebrations of the 20th anniversary of CEBRE’s existence taking place on December 5 in Brussels. CEBRE was established already before the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union and since then it successfully fulfils its mission. CoI together with other co-founders: Ministry of Industry and Trade of the CR, the Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Unions of the CR are ready to advocate for interests of businesses. The founding members used this opportunity also for appreciation of previous CEBRE leaders.

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To sum up, CZ PRES activities of the Czech Confederation of Industry were a success. In Brussels, the CoI could benefit from its close cooperation with its Permanent Delegate, Jana Hartman Radová, who coordinated on the spot all events taking place during the CZ PRES.

Even though our presidential activities did not have the ambition to push through or ensure the so much needed anti-crisis measures, they surely contributed to making the voice of Czech business more audible both generally as well as within the EU, to explaining individual hardships and real impacts of the current crisis to Czech industry, to explicate for the need of help for employers in the crisis period, so that they can stay competitive, can survive, can help maintain social peace also in future and so that they are not perceived by European institutions as objects of ongoing administrative exercises and requests without any clear added value. For successful overcoming of the current crisis and of the emerging recession will only be possible through intensive communication, effective listening, mutual respect and with political courage for prompt adoption of flexible measures and solutions.

CZ pres partner EN

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