United Arab Emirates 2020/2022

CZECH REPUBLIC Your Trade Partner

2020/2022 United Arab Emirates

TRADITION

AND PROGRESS AGADOS, spol. s r.o.,

the traditional Czech producer of trailers of total weight between 300 and 10 000 kg; some of which can achieve speeds of 130 km per hour.

AGADOS, spol. s r.o. | Průmyslová 2081 | 594 01 Velké Meziříčí | Czech Republic Phone: +420 566 653 301 | Fax: +420 566 653 368 | E-mail: ostry@agados.cz | www.agados.cz

Czech Republic – Your Trade Partner Compiled by the PP Agency s.r.o. in cooperation with

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic

Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic

Czech Chamber of Commerce

International Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic

Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Associations of the Czech Republic

CzechInvest, Investment and Business Development Agency

CzechTourism – Czech Tourist Authority

Czech Centres

Centre for Regional Development of the Czech Republic

Deadline: 20 April 2020 The publisher is not responsible for the content of paid presentations. ® Teritoriální publikace Česká republika – Váš obchodní partner Published by the PP Agency s.r.o.

Myslíkova 25, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic E-mail: journal@ppagency.cz, www.ppagency.cz

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 03

FOREWORD Dear Readers, I am grateful for the opportunity to address you in this publication.

I would like to thank you for your interest in developing relations between the Czech Republic and the United Arab Emirates.

Recently, both our countries commemorated important anniversaries. In the Czech Republic, we recalled 100 years of the formation of the independent Republic in 1918. At the same time, the United Arab Emirates celebrated 100 years of the birth of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder of the UAE. The common centenaries brought our countries ever closer together.

During its existence, the Czech Republic has become a modern country in the heart of Europe, a member of the European Union, NATO, and major international organisations.

From discussions with partners in the United Arab Emirates, the country of my accreditation, I am pleased to see that they consider the Czech Republic a safe country, a reliable and trustworthy partner, traditionally offering wide opportunities for business and investments. For the Czech Republic, the mutual trade collaboration with the United Arab Emirates is the most significant out of all Arab countries and is increasing every year. The bilateral legal framework that assists this collaboration is also extending.

The Czech Republic is considered a country with a rich history, developed culture, and a high level of education. In addition to these attributes, the Czech Republic is said to be a country of amazing people. What complements our country’s profile further is the high quality of services provided, available at reasonable prices.

In the past years, citizens of the United Arab Emirates have increased their interest in the Czech Republic, not only for healthcare (rehabilitation, physiotherapy), but also for relaxation and education.

Direct flights which provide connections between Prague, Dubai and Sharjah are an important support for this interest. The visa waiver between Schengen countries and the UAE has significantly boosted the mutual exchange and endeavours of people to travel.

To us, the United Arab Emirates is a country with a meaningful vision implemented by everyday efforts. The country welcomed Pope Francis and thus made a historical contribution to interreligious dialogue based upon tolerance. We greatly appreciated the hospitality shown by the UAE when hosting international events, such as the Special Olympics for people of fortitude.

We feel committed to prepare the Czech national pavilion in the best possible way for the General World Exposition - EXPO 2020 - in Dubai, which will present advanced technologies and solutions for sustainable living and progress.

Our goal is to create bridges between our countries, to stimulate mutual activities in bringing people together, starting already with children, students, schools, and families. Personal knowledge and contacts are strong pillars of our cultures, aiding better understanding and promoting real cooperation.

I would like to assure you, dear friends, that the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Abu Dhabi is fully committed to developing collaboration with you and to assisting your business activities with partners in the Czech Republic. I would like to thank you for your cooperation and am looking forward to our future mutual projects and meetings.

Jiří Slavík Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Arab Emirates

04 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

Photo: CzechTourism (Michal Vitásek); Cover photo: Office of the General Commissioner of Czech participation at the General World Exposition EXPO; the firms’ archives (AGADOS, spol. s r.o.; Glass AGES, spol. s r.o.; KOVAP Náchod, s.r.o.; LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o.; TOS VARNSDORF a.s.; VÁGNER POOL s.r.o.)

Prague

Contents FOREWORD

Foreword by Mr Jiří Slavík, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United Arab Emirates Czech Exporters Useful Information

04 06 10

ECONOMICS

Mutual Relations between the CR and the United Arab Emirates 12 Development of Czech Economy in 2019 15

17

18 19 20

CZECH INDUSTRY IN BRIEF Selection of Some Key Sectors 26

KEY SECTORS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC Czech Engineering – Tradition and Future Czech Food Industry – Hidden Potential Nanotechnologies Entering into Big Business Medical Equipment Made by Czech Companies

43 46 50

CZECH FOOTPRINTS Agados Dominates in the Czech Republic Fenix Group Furthers Collaboration with Smart Grid TOS VARNSDORF The BioVendor Group

54 55 56 57

INSTITUTIONS PRESENT THEMSELVES

EXPO DUBAI 2020 EXPO DUBAI 2020 Foreword by Mr Jiří František Potužník, Commissioner General of the Czech national participation at EXPO 2020 The Czech National Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Expositions in the National Pavilion at EXPO 2020

is Conquering the World The Czech Republic, Attractive Tourist Destination Tradition Seven Centuries Old

34 38 41

Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Associations of the Czech Republic Czech Chamber of Commerce Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic International Chamber of Commerce in the CR / ICC CzechInvest – Business and Investment Development Agency CzechTourism – Czech Tourism Authority Czech Centres Centre for Regional Development of the CR

CONTACTS

Useful Contacts in the Czech Republic Useful Contacts in UAE The Most Important Websites

58 58 59 59 61 61 63 63

64 64 66

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 05

FOREWORD

Czech Exporters Czech enterprises that present their products and services in this publication intend to expand their exports and seek trade partners in UAE. The firms are listed according to the branch codes - NACE. 14.12. Manufacture of workwear

BANNER s. r. o.

65 14.13 Manufacture of other outerwear

BANNER s. r. o.

65 20.00 Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products

CHEMOTEX Děčín a.s.

45 20.40 Manufacture of soap and detergents, cleaning and polishing preparations, perfumes and toilet preparations

CHEMOTEX Děčín a.s.

45 22.29 Manufacture of other plastic products

ERILENS s.r.o.

43 22.29 Manufacture of other plastic products

KOVAP Náchod, s.r.o.

65 23.10 Manufacture of glass and glass products

Glass AGES, spol. s r.o.

52 23.19 Manufacture and processing of other glass, including technical glassware

Skleněná bižuterie, a.s.

51 23.31 Manufacture of ceramic tiles and flags

LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o.

32,33 24.50 Casting of metals

TOS VARNSDORF a.s.

56, 67 25.10 Manufacture of structural metal products

PROMAN s.r.o.

30 25.00 Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment

TRIMOS, s. r. o.

31 25.00 Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment

ZDRAVOPRO s.r.o.

44 25.10 Manufacture of structural metal products

PROMAN s.r.o.

30 25.11 Manufacture of metal structures and parts of structures

PROMAN s.r.o.

30 25.50 Forging, pressing, stamping and roll-forming of metal; powder metallurgy

LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o.

32, 33 25.60 Treatment and coating of metals; machining

TRIMOS, s. r. o.

31 25.62 Machining

V-NASS, a.s.

37 25.73 Manufacture of tools

KOVAP Náchod, s.r.o.

65 25.99 Manufacture of other fabricated metal products n.e.c.

ERILENS s.r.o.

43 26.51 Manufacture of instruments and appliances for measuring, testing and navigation

BONEGA, spol. s r.o.

36 27.11 Manufacture of electric motors, generators and transformers

VÁGNER POOL s.r.o.

07 06 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

27.12 Manufacture of electricity distribution and control apparatus

VÁGNER POOL s.r.o.

07 27.12 Manufacture of electricity distribution and control apparatus

BONEGA, spol. s r.o.

36 27.40 Manufacture of electric lighting equipment

MODUS, spol. s r.o.

40 27.90 Manufacture of other electrical equipment

FENIX Trading, s. r. o.

23, 55 28.11 Manufacture of engines and turbines, except aircraft, vehicle and cycle engines

Doosan Škoda Power s.r.o.

09 28.40 Manufacture of metal forming machinery and machine tools

TOS VARNSDORF a.s.

56, 67 28.41 Manufacture of metal forming machinery

TOS VARNSDORF a.s.

56, 67 28.93 Manufacture of machinery for food, beverage and tobacco processing

J 4 s.r.o.

39 28.99 Manufacture of other special-purpose machinery n.e.c.

SKLOPAN LIBEREC, a.s.

53 28.99 Manufacture of other special-purpose machinery n.e.c.

J 4 s.r.o.

39 28.99 Manufacture of other special-purpose machinery n.e.c.

BONEGA, spol. s r.o.

36 29.20 Manufacture of bodies (coachwork) for motor vehicles; manufacture of trailers and semi-trailers

AGADOS, spol. s r.o.

02, 54 31.10 Manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment for motor vehicles

PROMAN s.r.o.

30 32.13 Manufacture of imitation jewellery and related articles

Skleněná bižuterie, a.s.

51 32.40 Manufacture of games and toys

KOVAP Náchod, s.r.o.

65 32.50 Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies

ZDRAVOPRO s.r.o.

44 32.50 Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies

ProSpon, spol. s r.o.

42 32.50 Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies

BioVendor - Laboratorní medicína a.s.

57 32.50 Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies

ERILENS s.r.o.

43 33.00 Repair and installation of machinery and equipment

Doosan Škoda Power s.r.o.

09

Producer and wholesale supplier of swimming pool technology for more than 25 years.

The Terrace - Burj Al Arab Vagner Pool contributed to this globally unique project in Dubai, UAE The steel structure of the Burj al Arab Terrace reaches 100 metres in the open sea and stands 5 metres above sea level. On an area of 10.000 m2 a relax zone with sandy beach, two large 80x11m swimming pools - one freshwater, the other saltwater - and four 4x4 m spas with amazing ocean and hotel views.

Vagner Pool supplied: - complete project of the water technology for the swimming pools and spas - all filters, pumps and blowers, water treatment technology (controling, dosing, measuring and UV disinfection) - commissioning of the complete project.

The Terrace was officially opened for guests on on 25 May 2016.

The Czech-based company Vágner Pool is a manufacturer and distributor of swimming pool technology, offering a complete range of products and components for both private and public swimming pools. Being one of the biggest distributors in Europe, Vágner Pool represents many renowned brands such as SPECK Pumpen, Seko, Bombas Saci, Bio-UV, Hayward, Zodiac, Hexagone, Dinotec, Chemoform, Pentair, IML, Astral (Fluidra) and many others. Vagner Pool export´s worldwide.

Vágner Pool s.r.o. Nad Safinou II, 348 Vestec

Czech Republic

www.vagnerpool.com info@vagnerpool.com

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 07

FOREWORD

33.14 Repair of electrical equipment

MODUS, spol. s r.o.

40 38.00 Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery

ABESS, s.r.o.

25 43.34 Painting and glazing

SKLOPAN LIBEREC, a.s.

53 45.20 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles

TATRA TRUCKS a.s.

27 46.90 Non-specialised wholesale trade

LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o.

32, 33 47.10 Retail sale in non-specialised stores

Glass AGES, spol. s r.o.

52 47.74 Retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods in specialised stores

ProSpon, spol. s r.o.

42 47.78 Retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods in specialised stores

BANNER s. r. o.

65 49.41 Freight transport by road

VÁGNER POOL s.r.o.

07 52.10 Warehousing and storage

Spedman Global Logistics a.s.

60 52.29 Other transportation support activities

Spedman Global Logistics a.s.

60 56.10 Restaurants and mobile food service activities

Léčebné lázně Mariánské Lázně a. s.

48 62.00 Computer programming, consultancy and related activities

UNICODE SYSTEMS, s.r.o.

62 62.01 Computer programming activities

UNICODE SYSTEMS, s.r.o.

62 64.11 Central banking

Česká exportní banka, a.s.

16 64.99 Other financial service activities, except insurance 08 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

and pension funding n.e.c.

Česká exportní banka, a.s.

16 70.20 Management consultancy activities

ABESS, s.r.o.

25 71.11 Architectural activities

Pontex, spol. s r.o.

14 72.11 Research and experimental development on biotechnology

BioVendor - Laboratorní medicína a.s.

57 72.19 Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering

Centrum výzkumu Řež s.r.o.

29 72.19 Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering

ProSpon, spol. s r.o.

42 72.19 Other research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering

UNICODE SYSTEMS, s.r.o.

62 74.00 Other professional, scientific and technical activities

ABESS, s.r.o.

25 74.10 Specialised design activities

Glass AGES, spol. s r.o.

52 86.10 Hospital activities

Léčebné lázně Mariánské Lázně a. s.

48 86.90 Other human health activities

Bohemia - lázně a. s.

47 94.99 Activities of other membership organisations n.e.c.

ŽIVÝ KRAJ - DESTINAČNÍ AGENTURA PRO KARLOVARSKÝ KRAJ, Z.S. 49, 68 96.04 Physical well-being activities

Léčebné lázně Mariánské Lázně a. s.

48 The publisher is not responsible for the content of paid presentations.

Photo: Office of the General Commissioner of Czech participation at the General World Exposition EXPO

EXPO 2020 DUBAI – CZECH EXPOSITION – RESTAURANT

Building your tomorrow today Steam turbine & steam cycle design with a long tradition and experience • Applications for all types of thermal power plants, including Oil and Gas, Pulp & Paper, Municipal Waste and Biomass Incineration Plants • Complex engineering • Retrofits & Modernization of OEM and non-OEM equipment • Production cooperation in machining, welding, heat treatment and assembly • Long-term servicing

Learn more at:

www.doosanskoda.com

FOREWORD

Useful Information State Symbols of the Czech Republic Coat of Arms

National Flag

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country situated in Central Europe and bordering on Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland.

BASIC DATA

Prague – Charles Bridge

Population 10 694 364 (as of July 2020) Area 78 864 sq. km Capital city Praha (Prague) Parliamentary system Parliamentary democracy Language Czech Highest peak Sněžka (1603 m.a.s.l.)

Time zone Central European Time GMT + 1, summer time GMT + 2 Currency Czech crown (Kč/CZK) = 100 hellers

For the most recent exchange rates, please see

https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter Internet domain .cz The President of the Czech Republic is Miloš Zeman

Karlovy Vary – the Colonnade

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

The UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List comprises the following cities and sites: Prague, Český Krumlov, Kutná Hora, Litomyšl Castle, Telč, Lednice-Valtice area, Zelená Hora (Green Mountain – St. Jan of Nepomuk Church, Holašovice, Kroměříž (castle and gardens), Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc, Tugendhat Villa in Brno (architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe), St. Procopius Basilica and the Jewish Quarter in Třebíč. In 2005, the Moravian-Slovakian Verbuňk recruitment dance was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In 2010 another entry on the List was the Shrovetide Carnival and Falconry and, in 2011, the Moravian-Slovakian Ride of the Kings. Czech puppetry was listed in 2016 and in November 2018 the textile printing technique called blueprint was also included.

More information can be found at www.unesco-czech.cz.

NOTABLE PERSONS

Valtice – Chateau

Czechs are considered a very cultured nation, which has given the world a number of significant persons. The most important rulers and heads of state are Emperor Charles IV and the Presidents T.G. Masaryk and Václav Havel. World renowned personalities include the scientists Jaroslav Heyrovský (holder of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry), Otto Wichterle, Czech chemist who invented contact lenses, and Antonín Holý, who helped to create a drug used in the treatment of AIDS. Other world renowned persons are Tomáš Baťa, creator of a shoe empire between the Two World Wars, and Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State. In the field of culture, great names are those of the composers Bedřich Smetana, Leoš Janáček, Antonín Dvořák and Bohuslav Martinů, the writers Franz Kafka, Karel Čapek, Jaroslav Seifert (holder of the Nobel Prize), Jaroslav Hašek, Bohumil Hrabal, and Milan Kundera. Oscars have been awarded to film directors Miloš Forman (born in the Czech

Photo: CzechTourism (Libor Sváček), ŽIVÝ KRAJ - DESTINAČNÍ AGENTURA PRO KARLOVARSKÝ KRAJ, Z.S.; Map source: Roads and Motorways Headquarters

MEMBERSHIP

The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union, the United Nations, NATO, WTO, the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, OECD and many other organisations.

BERLIN HAMBURG HANNOVER DORTMUND KASSEL

SZCZECIN ZIELONA GÓRA

BERLIN

BERLIN

LEIPZIG

POZNAŃ WARSZAWA ŁÓDŹ

Legnica ROTTERDAM KÖLN ERFURT

Görlitz

DRESDEN Jena

WROCŁAW Jelenia Góra

Gera Zwickau

Świdnica

CHEMNITZ

Wałbrzych

GDAŃSK ŁÓDŹ

Opole

Plauen

Tarnowskie Góry Kędzierzyn-K.

Zabrze Bytom Dąbrowa G. GLIWICE Ch. SOSNOWIEC KATOWICE Ruda Ś.

Mysłowice Racibórz Rybnik Tychy Żory

BAMBERG

Bayreuth

Bielsko-Biała

FRANKFURT AM MAIN WÜRZBURG

Erlangen

WARSZAWA RADOM

KRAKÓW LVOV (UA) RZESZÓW

BANSKÁ BYSTRICA POPRAD

Fürth

NÜRNBERG MANNHEIM HEILBRONN

Žilina MÜNCHEN INGOLSTADT

Regensburg

KOŠICE POPRAD

Trenčín

MÜNCHEN

KOŠICE ZVOLEN

Passau Trnava

Linz MÜNCHEN

St. Pölten

Wels

WIEN

Nitra

BANSKÁ BYSTRICA ZVOLEN

BRATISLAVA

SALZBURG

GRAZ SOPRON GRAZ

BUDAPEST GYŐR

TRIESTE

Republic), Jiří Menzel, and Jan Svěrák. Other famous people of culture are the painters František Kupka and Alfons Mucha and the photographer Jan Saudek.

Sportsmen who have gained international fame are, for example, Emil Zátopek – long-distance runner – best known for winning three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.

He won gold in the 5 000- metre and 10 000-metre races, but his final medal came when he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon of his life. He was nicknamed the “Czech Locomotive”.

Gymnast Věra Čáslavská won a total of 22 international titles between 1959 and 1968, including seven Olympic gold medals, four World titles and eleven European championships.

Martina Navrátilová is a former Czechoslovak and later American professional tennis player and coach. In 2005, Tennis magazine selected her as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through to 2005. She is considered one of the best, if not the best, female tennis players of all time.

Jaromír Jágr is the most successful European hockey player who has ever played in the NHL and is considered one of the greatest professional hockey players of all time.

Petr Čech is considered as one of the greatest and most respected football goalkeepers of his generation.

Barbora Špotáková is a track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She is a two-time Olympic and World Champion.

Petra Kvitová is a professional tennis player. She turned professional in 2006 and has won 23 career singles titles which includes two Grand Slam titles at the Wimbledon Championships in 2011 and 2014.

Martina Sáblíková is a speed skater, specialising in long-distance races. She is an Olympic gold medal winner and a multiple European and World all-round champion. She became the first Czech to win two Olympic gold medals at one Winter Games in the 2010 Olympiad.

Ester Ledecká is a snowboarder and Alpine skier. At the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Ledecká won gold medals in the super-G in Alpine skiing and in the parallel giant slalom in snowboarding. She is the first person to win two gold

medals at the same Winter Olympics, using two different types of equipment (skis and snowboard) and the first woman to do so in a single Winter Olympics.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Dialling code: +(420). More detailed information about telephone numbers can be found on the www.zlatestranky.cz website.

Licences for operating mobile networks on the territory of the Czech Republic have been awarded for example to the following companies: 02 Czech Republic a.s., T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s., Vodafone Czech Republic a.s., and Nordic Telecom a.s.

The most popular credit cards in the Czech Republic are Eurocard/Mastercard and Visa.

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 11

ECONOMICS

Mutual Relations between the CR and the United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates are among the most important trade partners of the Czech Republic among the Near East countries. The most important investment project of the Czech Republic in UAE after its establishment in December 1971 was the project for the construction of a power plant and desalination unit on Umm Al Naar Island near Abu Dhabi, completed in 1984 by the Czech Škodaexport Company.

CONTRACTUAL AREA

Investment and Protection Agreement Double Taxation Treaty Air Transport Agreement 12 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

Photo: pixabay.com

A very important fact is that, on the world scale, UAE occupies fourth place in Czech exports to non-European countries. Gradually, forms of closer economic cooperation have been developing between the two countries, such as production collaboration, collaboration in research and development and in the area of security and defence. The introduction of visa-free travel between the EU and UAE in May 2015 increased the potential of health tourism of UAE citizens to the Czech Republic. Since the opening of the commercial and economic section at the Czech Embassy in the year 2000, Czech exports to UAE have been growing steadily.

BALANCE OF TRADE

PC components and recording equipment account for 20 % of Czech exports, telecommunication apparatus for 20 %, and glass products (especially glass beads) for 10 %, on a long-term basis.

A growth in exports is also noticeable in the area of cars (this does not concern Škoda cars, but the export of other car makes, especially Hyundai). Other important export items are broadcasting equip-

Ten most important items exported from the CR to UAE in 2018 Code: HS 4

Name of goods

Percentage of exports

8802

Aircraft n.e.c. in heading no. 8801 (e.g. helicopters, aeroplanes); spacecraft (including satellites) and suborbital and spacecraft launch vehicles

16.8 %

8471

Automatic data processing machines and units thereof, magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data on to data media in coded form and machines for processing such data, not elsewhere specified or included

16 %

8523

Disks, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, smart cards and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena

8.5 %

8517

Telephone sets, including telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data (including wired/wireless networks), excluding items of 8443, 8525, 8527, or 8528

6.5 %

8525

Transmission apparatus for radio-broadcasting or television, whether or not incorporating reception apparatus or sound recording or reproduction apparatus; television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders

4.4 %

8537

Boards, panels, consoles, desks, cabinets, bases with apparatus of heading no. 8535, 8536 for electricity control and distribution, (other than switching apparatus of heading no. 8517)

3.5 %

4911

Printed matter, n.e.c., including printed pictures and photographs

2.9 %

8703

Motor cars and other motor vehicles; principally designed for the transport of persons (other than those of heading no. 8702), including station wagons and racing cars

2.5 %

9304

Firearms; (e.g. spring, air or gas guns and pistols, truncheons), excluding those of heading no. 9307

2.4 %

2710

Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude; preparations n.e.c, containing by weight 70 % or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals; these being the basic constituents of the preparations; waste oils

2.0 %

Source: www.czso.cz Data available at the deadline of the publication

Exports of goods from the CR to UAE in 2019 – preliminary data Code of goods

Name of goods

Value (USD thous.)

0

Food and live animals

17 064

1

Beverages and tobacco

2

Raw materials, inedible, except fuels

3

Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials

4

Animal and vegetable oils, fats and wax

5

Chemicals and related products, not classified elsewhere

27 751

6

Market products classified mainly by material

64 162

7

Machines and transport means

8

Industrial consumer goods

788 1 729 22 067 1

455 598 76 697

Sources: www.czso.cz, www.businessinfo.cz, www.mzv.cz

ment, electrical switchboards and food, mainly dairy produce.

A marked increase in the share of exports in recent years is shown by technically more complicated products, such as complex digital data processing systems, switchboards and electricity control and distribution panels, and pumps. Also significant is the export of food, with Akawi cheese being the largest item, followed by milk powder, sugar, chocolate, cocoa and sweets. The contract for the supply of radiolocation devices to the UAE army is an important document.

There are more than 30 Czech firms with permanent establishment in UAE and their number is steadily increasing.

The large number of Czech firms in the market called for the establishment of an informal business platform, where Czech firms

and Czech professionals operating in UAE on a long-term basis could meet. In response to this requirement, a Club of Czech Businessmen in UAE was established in 2014. In 2015, the Club was changed into a new entity, the Czech Business Council (CBC), registered with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dubai as an establishment with its own legal subjectivity. The main mission of CBC is the exchange of experience, contacts and business opportunities among its members and the support of Czech firms newly entering the UAE market.

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 13

ECONOMICS

PONTEX Ltd.

Bezová 1658, 147 00 Praha 4 Czech Republic e-mail: pontex@pontex.cz www.pontex.cz

DESIGN, CONSULTING, ENGINEERING SERVICES AND STRUCTURAL DIAGNOSTICS

• Bridges and Footbridges • Motorways, Highways, Roads • Ultra-high Performance Concrete • Structural Diagnostics • Electro Engineering • Civil Engineering • Structures of Buildings • Foundations • Bridge Inspections • Supervision, Independent Check • Project Management PONTEX Consulting Engineers Ltd, based in Prague, the Czech Republic, was established in 1991 by senior engineers from the Pragoprojekt Bridge Division with long-term practical experience both in Czechoslovakia and abroad.

Core fields of activities are linked with bridges of all types: reinforced and pre-stressed concrete bridges, steel and composite bridges, pedestrian bridges, rehabilitation and strengthening. PONTEX offers complete elaboration of the design

and consultancy services (feasibility studies, preliminary and final design, detail drawings, site supervision, inspections, monitoring, assessment, structural diagnostics). Principal emphasis is laid on high technical level, quality assurance, personal responsibility of trained staff and longterm fair relations with clients. Foreign experience and references include Germany, Austria, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, the Middle East, Malaysia, Taiwan, Azerbaijan, and Russia.

Certified Quality Assurance System EN ISO 9001:2016 and EN ISO 14001:2016.

14 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r PONTEXT_AJ_210x297_TP_IRAN_po_jk.indd 1

2. 7. 2018 9:21:00

Development of Czech Economy in 2019 The Czech economy continued growing at a faster rate also in 2019. This was affirmed by the growth of both gross domestic product and gross added value in all quarters. Greatly responsible for this is the growth of final household consumption expenditure. This development was accompanied by growing wages and pensions and a continuing low unemployment rate.

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

In 2019, gross domestic product increased by 2.4 per cent, as forecast. Its growth was supported primarily by household consumption and foreign demand, and also a moderate growth of investments. The growth was spread over all four quarters. The growth of gross added value was favourably influenced by the sectors of trade, transport, accommodation and catering, and the information and communication sector.

INDUSTRY

In 2019, industrial production remained at approximately the level of the previous year (Index 99.6 %). A year-on-year increase was shown by only a small group of sectors – manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and preparations (by 19.3 %), manufacture of electrical equipment (by 5.9 %), manufacture of paper and paper products (by 3.0 %), and motor vehicle manufacture (by 0.8 %). In all other sectors, production remained slightly below the previous year´s level.

FOREIGN TRADE (SEE NOTE)

In foreign trade, in 2019 exports increased by 2 % and imports by 0.6 % in comparison with 2018, according to preliminary data.

The foreign trade surplus was CZK 149 billion, CZK 50.5 billion more year on year. In cross-border terms, the movement of goods across the national border on the side of exports increased by 3.6 % and on the side of imports by 1.0 % year on year.

PRICES

In 2019, the average annual inflation rate measured by the consumer price index was 2.8 %, 0.7 percentage point more than in 2018. This was the second highest increase over the past 11 years. In all, the prices of goods increased by 2.3 % and the prices of services by 3.7 %.

WAGE DEVELOPMENT

The average gross monthly wage of employees (full-time equivalent) in the 1st to 3rd quarters of 2019 was CZK 33 429. In a year-on-year comparison, this increase was CZK 2 233 (7.2 %). Real wages rose by 4.3 % (consumer prices in the period under review were 2.8 % higher). The highest absolute wage increase was shown by finance and insurance (CZK 4 564), education (CZK 3 237), and information and communication activities (CZK 3 027). Percentage growth was the highest in education (10.8 %) and cultural activities (19.7 %).

Note: The Czech Statistical Office has changed the terminology and the way of presenting the data concerning foreign trade, in force as from the year 2020. The term “foreign trade” presents data based on the change of ownership between residents and non-residents, formerly denoted as the “national concept of foreign trade”. At present, the formerly used term of “foreign trade” in the cross-border concept is termed as “movement of goods across the border”.

Macroeconomic Indicators of the Czech Republic 2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Gross Domestic Product (current prices)

CZK, billion

4 098.13

4 313.79

4 595.78

4 767.99

5 047.27

5 323.56

Gross Domestic Product

%, real, y/y

-0.5

2.7

5.4

2.4

4.5

2.8

2.4

%, y/y

-0.1

5

4.3

3.4

6.5

3

-0.4

%

8.2

7.5

6.35

5.28

3.83

3.17

2.93

%

7

6.1

5

4

2.9

2.2

%, y/y

1.4

0.4

0.3

0.7

2.5

2.1

2.8

%, average

1.4

0.4

0.3

0.6

2.4

2

2.6

162 302

175 017

157 880

162 716

182 236

202 751

198 955

3.3

7.8

-9.8

3.1

12

11.2

-1.9

144 320

154 233

141 366

143 041

163 374

185 102

177 105

2

6.9

-8.4

1.2

14.2

13.3

-4.3

1)

1)

Industrial Production Registered Unemployment

2)

General Unemployment Rate According to Selective Labour Force Examination3) Inflation Rate Inflation (HICP)

4)

Exports

5)

USD mil.

Exports

5)

%, y/y

Imports

5)

Imports

5)

USD mil. %, y/y USD mil.

17 983

20 783

16 514

19 675

18 862

17 649

21 850

CZK/EUR 6)

average

25.974

27.533

27.283

27.033

26.330

25.643

25.672

CZK/USD 6)

average

19.565

20.746

24.600

24.432

23.382

21.735

22.934

Balance of Trade

5)

Source: Czech Statistical Office, Czech National Bank (ČNB); General note: y/y shows year-on-year change in the indicator; 1) Data after revision using the ESA 10 system (European System of Accounts), year 2018 and 2019 preliminary data 2) Unemployment to total population ratio = number of eligible job seekers aged 15-64 years/population in per cent, situation at the end of the year; 3) LFSS = Labour Force Sample Survey; 4) HICP = Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, inflation rate by EU method; 5) Foreign trade data expressed in USD are the sum of the different monthly values in CZK, calculated by the average monthly exchange rate announced by the Czech National Bank; 6) Czech National Bank

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 15

FAR MORE THAN A MERE BANK SERVING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS

l The state-run Czech Export Bank actively supports

international collaboration with the participation of companies from the Czech Republic. The Bank provides favourable financing in a manner complying with international standards of official support.

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comprehensive financial services related to foreign trade and investment, independently of the type of goods, scope of trade, or loan repayment terms.

l The Bank aims to provide its Czech and foreign clients with

optimal financial conditions for mutual collaboration and works towards improving their competitiveness on international markets. In doing so, it facilitates the successful entry of clients and their partners into international competition.

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C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 17

EXPO 2020

Dear Readers, The EXPO in Dubai was supposed to go down in history as the first General World Exposition in the Arab world. It is now clear that it will not take place at the turn of 2020 and 2021, but a year later. The United Arab Emirates, however, will retain the organisational primacy of this broadly international spectacle among the Muslim states.

And they will have other firsts as well. Not only in terms of the size of investments in the construction of the exhibition centre and the extensive infrastructure on the green field – or rather on the sand dunes - but also with regard to the unprecedented 12-month postponement of the joint venture of 190 countries. For a whole year after the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus and the pandemic of the COVID-19 disease, the world will experience Year Zero.

The author of these lines cannot foresee October 2021, when the EXPO is supposed to begin. He has no idea whether all the current participants will arrive at the World Exposition, or how many visitors will travel to Dubai at the time of the - perhaps already fading - effects of the global epidemic and the subsequent economic downturn. But he ventures to say that the United Arab Emirates will open the gates of the exposition site and that the Czech Pavilion will be ready.

Even today, at a time when some countries have not even started construction, the building of the national pavilion at the EXPO is standing. The permanent exhibits - including the world-renowned S.A.W.E.R. system, which independently produces water from the air using solar energy, creating an oasis in the desert - are either ready or their production is nearing completion. And the creators of the 10 two-week expositions also confirmed their exhibition ambitions.

These include companies and institutions that were selflessly involved in the fight against the global pandemic, instead of preparing for the World Exhibition: CTU and the 3D printing power Průša Research with several types of respirators. TU Liberec and Nafigate with anti-virus nanofiber masks. Brno University of Technology with a robotic arm handling COVID-19 samples and Žufánek Distillery with disinfectants, among others.

They are universities and private companies; they are small and large entities from different parts of the country. But they are united by their extraordinary creative potential, the courage to do something, and a sense of responsibility. That is exactly what fulfils the concept of national participation at the EXPO called “Czech Spring”. And if the exposition includes demonstrations of innovations that have helped fight the unpredictable coronavirus, it will do more for the reputation of our country than anything PR agencies can come up with.

The World Exposition in Dubai is now set to begin, 160 years after Prince Albert hosted the first exposition in London. He did so by saying that even rival states should cross borders in the fields of industry, science, and the arts. We should keep this in mind, even more so now as viruses and other global threats have stopped recognising borders a long time ago.

Jiří František Potužník Commissioner General of the Czech national participation at EXPO 2020

18 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

Photo: Office of the General Commissioner of Czech participation at the General World Exposition EXPO

The Czech National Pavilion at EXPO 2020 The designers of the Czech National Pavilion to be erected at EXPO 2020 – the General World Exhibition in Dubai – are young Czech architects of Formosa AA s.r.o. company, who are at the same time doctoral students in the Faculty of Agriculture at the Czech Technical University.

The technological core of the national exposition will be the S.A.W.E.R. (Solar Air Water Earth Resource) system, producing water from the air using solar energy, which will cultivate the garden around the National Pavilion with the aid of subsurface cultures. The garden will be the background for two special ex-

hibits: an underground niche, where visitors will be able to see how soil symbiotic mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi benefit plant roots, and a photo palm by Algatech company, burning CO2 and cultivating algae.

The architecture of the pavilion is inspired by the S.A.W.E.R. system: the object becomes the materialisation of the transformation and a metaphor of the technology, which it does not conceal in enclosed spaces, but displays in the form of a tangle of tubes connecting all its parts. Thus, the structure is not just a passive decoration, but is partly connected to the S.A.W.ER. system, thus becoming its part and actually representing it.

The structure of the tubes, which form a cloud in the exterior, uses the active bending principle of construction. When completed, it should become one of the largest of its kind in the world. The tubes then pass into the interior, where they become entwined with other technological parts, highlighting different elements of the cultivation system and linking up with the heart of the pavilion. Accentuating technology in the pavilion raises its visual appeal, turning it into an object of display.

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 19

EXPO 2020

With its “Czech Spring” concept, the Czech Republic will present itself as a country of mineral springs, a source of new ideas and a springtime garden. The Czech exposition in the pavilion has two features: while being a permanent presentation, integrated into the garden and the pavilion for the whole duration of EXPO, it also presents rotating displays alternating every two weeks; both presentations incorporate science, research, innovative technologies, and modern design.

Czech Republic as a country of unspoilt Nature and modern spa resorts providing first-class balneological care.

The next thematic block will be named “Water for Life”, where one of the companies presented will be Consilia Futura. It will display a system it has developed, which can ensure the supply of water, energy and food in areas affected by drought. An interactive model of the system will show how a pump using a minimum amount of energy can return water over biotic tops, for example, into the Dead Sea. Another subject to be presented in the rotating exposition is “Water Inspiration”, where an innovative solution will be pre-

ROTATING EXPOSITIONS:

sented by Swiss Aqua Technologies. The company´s focus is on the manufacture of environmentally friendly and highly economical products, demonstrating how to manage water consumption, for example, in the bathroom. Another company, Zikmund Electronics, will present a unique technological device – a camera system for inspecting inaccessible spaces in water supply and sewage systems, breweries, geological drills, etc. The last, but not least among the exhibitors, will be Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, which will display the outcome of students’ work inspired by water.

Visitors to the pavilion will be able to enter a Czech fairyland and experience the materialisation of the “Czech Dream”, a shared exposition, staged jointly by Czech Television, TONAK Company and the Antiquities Association. The exposition will present the Czech Republic as a fairy-tale country and visitors will also be

The rotating expositions in the National Pavilion will occupy a space covering 100 sq. metres and will display objects presented by participants in EXPO 2020 and those proposed by the economic and industrial sectors, in which the Czech Republic stands out even on a world scale. In the course of the General World Exhibition, ten thematic displays will alternate, all featuring four basic blocks: Water, Design, Technologies, and Universities.

The first theme to be presented is “Czech Spas”. The exhibition, to be prepared by the CzechTourism Agency, will present the

20 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

Photo: Office of the General Commissioner of Czech participation at the General World Exposition EXPO

Expositions in the National Pavilion at EXPO 2020

able to see how fairy-tale films are created.

The first exhibition which will open the technological block, will be the exposition entitled “100 Years of Robot – Smart Cities”, staged under the aegis of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. It will introduce start-up companies and firms presenting innovative solutions for the functioning of modern cities.

This exposition will be followed by the presentation of the City of Brno and the South Moravia Region, named “Micro & Macro”,

whose main idea will be the interweaving of the microworld and the universe, the connecting link being carbon, an element originating from space and at the same time being the foundation stone of all living organisms.

The exhibition to be named “Energy the Smart Way” will be prepared by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Its purpose is to trace the pathway that energy covers from its inception to its storage. The exposition will also feature five separate interactive exhibits, which will acquaint the visitors with the principles on which the technologies used are based. One of them, for example, will be the levitator, on which a copy of the CZK 100-million coin will rotate using minimal energy.

The “University” thematic block in the rotating exposition will open with an exhibition entitled “Czech Primacy”, which will present J. G. Mendel, the Father of Genetics, his research work and how it influenced the world, in the form of a multimedia show.

Another interesting item will be the presentation by Fénix Company, which will demonstrate how to make the most efficient use of the energy serving households, as well as whole towns, based on the use of the most advanced technologies.

The last subject which will close the programme of the rotating expositions is “Czech Universum” – an exposition in which several universities collaborate to present the Czech Republic as a country of education, research, and innovation.

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 21

PERMANENT EXPOSITION:

The permanent exposition will present ten items.

The first is an object called the Heart of the Pavilion – a fountain into which water will flow from organic capillaries, made from the same material as the cloud shielding the garden surrounding the National Pavilion.

Situated on the ground floor will be the S.A.W.E.R. system, a device functionally combining the use of five Czech patents and innovations, developed by scientists of the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) and the Czech Academy of Sciences, which produces water from the air, using solely solar energy, and which cultivates the desert – a technology capable of creating an oasis in the sand. The functioning of the system will be described in detail on a didactic wall using impressive animations. The water produced by the S.A.W.E.R. system will serve for watering the garden surrounding the National Pavilion.

On their way upstairs, visitors will pass around the monumental installation of LASVIT company, designed by Maxim Velčovský. The exhibit, named Golden Rain, will be made of metal fibres and glass, combining traditional glassmaking with modern technologies. The installation will be composed of dozens of golden streams with glass drops inside each of them, which, under dynamic illumination, will create a pulsating effect.

The three exhibits will be complemented with another seven permanent installations.

Two of these will be placed inside the rotat22 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

ing expositions. The first, by Jakub Nepraš, called Energy Fenix, portrays two different layers, each conveying a special meaning: the lower layer will show the visitor the perception of time and the material spheres on which today´s civilisation depends, while the upper layer will indicate how people should take care of the spiritual sphere. The other exhibit will be an abstract painting by Adéla Oliva named Six Elements from Gallery Kroupa, portraying the balance between the elements and human thinking.

The next part of the pavilion will stage permanent installations in an exposition named “The Czech Republic: The Country for the Future”.

The opening project will be the Prusa 3D Farm, an interactive wall of 3D personal printers from Průša Research Company, created by three-dimensional puzzle elements, which visitors will be able to assemble themselves in real time. The next exhibit will be a robotic arm, the 3D Arm, the outcome of collaboration between the Czech Technical University, Tomáš Baťa University, and Fillamentum Company. It materialises the idea of combining material sustainability and technological progress using sand and degradable bioplastics from waste fats.

The next exhibit, which is directly linked with the robotic arm, is a fully automated robotic line of the PSI company, called We Speak Plantish. It is a device that will read how plants react to different conditions and shocks, and suggests their suitable care. In the National Pavilion, visitors will discover how plants react, for example, to music, which they will be able to play to the plants right on the spot, on a glass water organ designed and made by Petr Nikl – another exhibit, called Darkov Waves. This exhibit will be the central element in the Relaxation Zone, where visitors will be able to sit on a raised platform in comfortable seats, relax and enjoy the view of the rest of the exhibition.

The last indoor exhibit is a glass sculpture by Vlastimil Beránek called VENUS, which prides itself on the title of the world´s largest polished glass sculpture.

Photo: Office of the General Commissioner of Czech participation at the General World Exposition EXPO

EXPO 2020

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Pa r t n e r 23

S.A.W.E.R.

Today, turning the hot, arid desert into greenland may seem a dream or a fairy tale.

In practice, such transformation would need a huge quantity of water. The question is, how can such volumes of water be come by in the desert? From the air with the help of the Sun! Yes indeed, this is possible, because even in the desert the air contains water vapour. But the problem is that climatic conditions in the desert do not make it possible to obtain water from the air easily with the aid of an ordinary cooler, on the surface of which the water will condense at a low temperature.

This is possible in European climatic conditions, but not in an arid area suffering from water shortage.

Equipment making it possible to transform an arid desert into an oasis by the targeted multiplication of microorganisms may sound like sci-fi. In actual fact, research and development are partly inspired by sci-fi envisaging new technologies of the future. S.A.W.E.R., or Solar Air Water Earth Resource, consists of two systems: one for obtaining water from desert air and the other for cultivating the desert into fertile soil.

The system for obtaining water from the air, the development of which the University Centre of Energy Efficient Buildings (UCEB) and the Engineering Faculty of Prague´s Technical University (ČVUT) in collaboration with the Botanical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences are working on, is a two-stage system, which uses a desiccant – material which in the first stage binds water vapour on its surface by adsorption. The desiccant removes water from the ambient air and retains it on its surface, with the dehumidified air being returned to the ambient milieu. At the same 24 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

time, more of the ambient air with its natural water vapour content first has to be heated to a temperature allowing water vapour to be released from the surface of the desiccant, and thus humidifying the desert air. This process takes place at a raised temperature.

The desert air binds a higher quantity of water vapour, so that the air coming to the cooler contains more moisture than the ambient desert air. That is why much more water can be obtained from the cooler by condensing water from the air.

While an ordinary cooler can produce 10 litres of water a day from desert air on an average, the amount obtained from S.A.W.E.R is up to 200 l/day on an average, at comparable flows of treated air. The main specific feature of the S.A.W.E.R. system is autonomous operation. The energy needs of the system are fully covered by solar energy (solar photothermal collectors, photovoltaic modules, heat and electric energy accumulation). Side products of the technological system are warm water for showering and cold air for air conditioning of the building.

Prague´s Botanical Institute at the Czech Academy of Sciences is developing a system for desert cultivation, which uses a part of the water obtained for a special photo bioreactor, an artificial environment serving the cultivation of microalgae used for polysaccharide production and for the retention of nutrients in water.

The mixture of water, algae and organically-bound nutrients is applied by means of a watering system installed about 20 cm below the soil surface. Roots receive the water with nutrients directly from the water piping. This greatly reduces the loss of water caused by evaporation, which is important especially in dry areas with high levels of sunlight exposure. The effect of irrigation with water containing algae is that the soil will receive both nutrients released at a slow pace, as well as other substances contained in algae, such as plant hormones and organic matter needed for the good growth of plants.

Before planting the plants, sandy soils should be revived by microorganisms, which are beneficial for the growth of plants, helping them to absorb nutrients more efficiently and retaining more water in the layer of soil around the roots. These organisms, soil symbiotic mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi acting in the root system, together with other soil organisms, will revive the soil to such a degree that it will become suitable for cultivation even in extreme conditions such as those found in the desert.

Photo: Office of the General Commissioner of Czech participation at the General World Exposition EXPO

EXPO 2020

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 25

CZECH INDUSTRY IN BRIEF

Selection of Some Key Sectors AEROSPACE

The Czech Republic has a long aviation tradition dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, since when this sector has always been strongly represented as an important branch of industry. Over the years, the country has made a name for itself based on outstanding quality, reliability, and innovation in aviation. From basic production to final aircraft assembly and cutting-edge R&D programmes, the local aerospace industry has progressed significantly and simply cannot be overlooked.

The aerospace industry is now largely based on sharing knowledge and experience with partners at the national and international levels. Unique research teams work within the industry and in the academic sphere. Public-private collaboration has been a key activity in the R&D area, thanks to which specialised university centres have become involved in high value-added projects. Knowledge and innovation are among the most important factors for remaining competitive at the global level and being able to advance further.

Do you know that: more than 32 000 aircraft and 37 000 engines have been manufactured in the Czech Republic? l the L-410 commuter turboprop aircraft made by Aircraft Industries is the most successful aircraft in its category worldwide? l the GE H80 turboprop engine is the first engine in the history of GE Aviation to be designed and manufactured outside the US? l the European Global Navigation Satellite System Agency, operator of the Galileo system, is the first EU regulatory body located in the Czech Republic? l the Czech Republic operates a state-of-the-art testing laboratory for turboprop engines, which ranks among the best in the world?

centres for automotive-related design and R&D activities. The country’s century-long engineering tradition, intensive collaboration with Czech universities on cutting-edge technologies and government support make the Czech Republic an ideal destination for future mobility.

THE CZECH AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE

Interesting facts this country can boast: l 122-year history of car manufacture l car manufacture as the largest industry accounting for more than 9 % of GDP l approximately 800 companies involved in the industry l more than 160 000 direct automotive-sector employees l an industry accounting for 26 % of the country´s total manufacturing output and 24 % of total Czech exports l 80 % of production being exported (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Slovakia) l 1 459 998 cars produced in 2019 l 55 of the global top 100 tier-one suppliers having at least one production facility in the Czech Republic l 5 000 R&D employees and 33 % of all investments made in R&D in the Czech Republic l world-class automotive R&D centres of OEMs and tier-one suppliers (e.g. EATON, Škoda Auto, ZF, Robert Bosch, Varroc Lighting) l 9 technical universities with more than 20 000 graduates every year l top research institutes (CIIRC, CEITEC) l government supportive initiatives (e.g. AI Hub, testing ground for AVs)

BUSINESS SERVICES

As the Czech Republic has become an important location for business shared services, the sector is now one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Its role in the labour market is very significant, as it currently employs over 75 000 people, with that figure projected to reach 100 000 by 2020. Companies already established here are expanding their presence in the Czech Republic as the portfolio of their activities becomes more complex and advanced.

The country offers several attractive locations for business shared services – besides Prague and Brno, an increasing number of companies are focusing on cities such as Ostrava and Olomouc.

The Czech Republic has an advanced educational system, focused on meeting the needs of a competitive economy. The country’s 169 Finance, Economics, Law and ICT university faculties turn out more

AUTOMOTIVE

With its unique location, good infrastructure and skilled workforce, the Czech Republic plays a significant role in the automotive industry. In per-capita terms, it is a leading producer of buses and ranks second in the world in passenger car production. While the country has the capacity and resources to accommodate three major carmakers – Škoda Auto (Volkswagen Group), TPCA (Toyota/ Groupe PSA joint venture) and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech – and holds excellent business opportunities for suppliers, the Czech Republic is poised to consolidate its position as one of the leading European 26 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

The first Czech-made car rolled off the assembly line in 1898.

The first serially-made car manufactured in the Czech Lands (part of Austria-Hungary at that time) was named Präsident. This is one of the oldest motor vehicles in the world. One hundred and twenty two years ago, on 21 May 1898, shortly after its completion, it rolled off the gates of the factory in Kopřivnice on its maiden journey to Vienna, where it arrived one day later.

The Präsident covered the route of 328 kilometres in 24 hours and 15 minutes; the actual driving time was 14.5 hours. The car carried a four-member crew, with bicycles as a vanguard. Coming across a motor car on the road at that time was an absolutely exceptional sight, about the same as seeing a flying car would be today.

World-famous producer of unique defence, firefighting and commercial vehicles

WWW.TATRATRUCKS.COM C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

27

CZECH INDUSTRY IN BRIEF

than 37 000 graduates every year. All university students are required to study at least one foreign language and, at some universities, the requirement is two foreign languages. English is the most popular foreign language, followed by German and French.

ADVANCED ENGINEERING

Since the early 20th century, the engineering industry has been one of the cornerstones of the Czech economy. A stable economic environment, high manufacturing and technological skills and advanced R&D programmes help to create an optimal climate for business and further progress. The Czech engineering sector employs over 126 000 workers, with approximately 85 % of manufactured products being exported.

More than 5 200 machinery companies manufacture even the most sophisticated components, ranking the Czech Republic among the most advanced industrialised countries in the world.

The engineering sector is one of the three most important industries in the Czech Republic.

According to EU statistics, the Czech Republic can offer from 40 % to 60 % labour cost savings in comparison with Western Europe and the United States, at comparable labour productivity. More than 3 500 Mechanical Engineering graduates are turned out each year, helping to meet the growing demand on the part of the engineering sector.

ADVANCED ENGINEERING AT A GLANCE

The following are some of the facts confirming the high standards of Czech industry and technological know-how: 300 years of academic engineering education in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic is the only country among Central and East European countries which is a member of CECIMO – the prestigious European Association of Machine Tool Industries l the Czech Republic ranks among the top 15 countries worldwide in machine tool production (CECIMO, 2019) l according to Eurostat, the Czech Republic is the most industrialised country in the EU, where manufacturing accounts for more than 27 % of total industrial production, with industry generating nearly 40 % of the country´s GDP (Eurostat, 2019) l the Czech Republic = The Land of Robotics. The word ROBOT was first used by the Czech writer Karel Čapek in his famous play “R.U.R.” (Rozum´s Universal Robots). With its 135 robots per 10 000 manufacturing workers, the Czech Republic greatly surpasses the global average of 99 units. (International Federation of Robotics, 2019)

ICT AND DATA CENTRES

There are many ICT companies with Czech roots that are renowned worldwide for their products, such as Avast, GoodData, Y Soft, 28 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

Seznam.cz, Socialbakers and STRV, to name just a few. The Czech Republic is also home to several noteworthy research centres that have achieved outstanding results and have won awards in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (Artificial Intelligence Centre, Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics, IT4Innovations, Research Centre for Informatics, National Cyber Security Centre). Every year, Czech universities turn out almost 6 000 creative, innovative and highly skilled ICT graduates.

Thanks to investment in the infrastructure in different parts of the country, not only in Prague, many Czech regions have become attractive for their well-developed ICT sector. Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic, for example, is considered as an ICT hub, with R&D facilities and institutions, an advanced ICT infrastructure and qualified professionals. Ostrava, thanks to its IT4 Innovations, has gained international recognition for its new projects.

GAME DEVELOPMENT

The beginnings of Czech computer games’ development date back to the 1980s, when the first 8-Bit games were created by Czech developers. Since then, many Czech gaming companies have achieved international success with games like Hidden & Dangerous, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven (Illusion Softworks, nowadays 2K Czech), ARMA: Armed Assault (Bohemia Interactive), Euro Truck Simulator (SCS Software), Kingdom Come: Deliverance (Warhorse Studios), Samorost (Amanita Design), Beat Saber (Beat Games), and many others.

CZECH GAMING INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE

The following is a brief overview of the achievements of this new industry in the Czech Republic: l 70+ game development studios l CZK 2.2 billion in annual turnover l 1 500+ people working in the industry l International environment – many studios employ people from the EU and other countries l Multiple industrial organisations: Successful international events: Game Developers Session (GDS), Game Access Conference l Computer Graphics & Computer Games study programmes at Charles University, Czech Technical University, Masaryk University

LIFE SCIENCES

The Czech Republic is a country whose scientists are known for their discoveries in the area of heredity, the invention of the contact lens, and the development of anti-HIV drugs.

The inventions are covered by patents. The observance of GMP, GLP, and GCP standards is a matter of course. The Czech government supports the development of new pharmaceutical methods of treatment and diagnostics as one of their top priorities. Over the past decade, it has allocated more than EUR 2.5 billion to research in the sector. New research institutions have been completed in Prague, Brno, Olomouc, and Plzeň, to complement the existing institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the universities.

Czech research teams are internationally recognised for their quality research in Molecular Genetics, Immunology, Analytical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Cardiology, Neurology, Metabolic Diseases and, more recently, medical applications in the area of Nanotechnologies.

The success of companies and research institutes operating in the Czech Republic in the life-sciences sector has its roots in the country´s advanced R&D and high-quality educational system. According to the Ministry of Education statistics, more than 50 000 students are enrolled in Natural Science study programmes at universities,

CZECH INDUSTRY IN BRIEF

including Charles University in Prague, which was established in 1348 and thus ranks among the oldest universities in Europe.

NANOTECHNOLOGY & ADVANCED MATERIALS

Following its long tradition in Chemistry, Electronics, Textile Manufacture and Material Science, the Czech Republic has transformed its economy to become one of the leaders in applied Nanotechnology. As a global supplier in nanofiber production devices, electron microscopes and monocrystalline materials, innovative Czech solutions in Nanomedicine and new types of batteries have found their way on to today‘s market. The growing number of students and a high-quality R&D infrastructure support new developments in the industry.

Since the first breakthroughs in the field of Microscopy in the 1950s, the country has progressed to gradually becoming a global hub.

In 2014, Czech R&D skills and the abilities of the country‘s workforce persuaded FEI Company (a subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Scientific)

to open its microscope factory, the world´s largest, in the Czech Republic.

A breakthrough in the production of nanofibers came in 2003 at the Technical University in Liberec, when an entire nanofiber supply chain was created, based on the original Czech-developed highyield, reliable production technology.

The Czech Republic has come up with innovative nanofiber applications in areas such as water & air treatment, functional textiles and bedding, as well as other applications using nanostructures or nanoparticles, offering the highest standard of anti-counterfeiting protection and air purification.

Do you know that: l one-third of global electron microscope production comes from the Czech Republic? l t he first reliable method of spinning 200 nm nanofibers was developed in the Czech Republic? lm odern, highly specialised R&D facilities (CEITEC, CxI TUL, ELI Beamlines, HiLASE, RCATM) operate in the Czech Republic? l industrial clusters introducing unique technologies are developing? l close academic & industrial collaboration is on the rise?

Other remarkable fields in which Czech companies are highly competitive on the global scale include the production of monocrystalline materials, electron lithography for holography applications, wound healing and tissue regeneration, research of nanostructured and cross-linked polymeric materials, and the production of nanoparticles for special purposes.

Source: CzechInvest

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Czech Republic

Your partner for  Oil & Gas  Geothermal Industry TRIMOS, s.r.o. was founded in 1993 with a focus on engineering production and has been in the Oil & Gas Industry since 2006. The company is based in Liberec, Czech Republic.

STOP COLLAR More than 1 million Heavy-Duty Stop Collars (2 7/8“ – 13 3/8“) have been supplied to markets worldwide, in the Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia), the USA, The North Sea, East Asia and New Zealand.

Stop Collar is used to keep CENTRALISERS and cement baskets in place in drilling and cementing processes.

CENTRALISER The company can offer a wide range of Centralisers in accordance with clients’ needs and drawing documentation.

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Czech RAKO ceramic tiles are known worldwide

1.

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LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o. is a producer and seller of ceramic tiles under the RAKO brand name, with a tradition of almost 140 years. Long-term know-how, innovative technology, the use of modern branch-related knowledge and a comprehensive range of tiles including construction chemistry rank LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o. among important European ceramic tiling materials producers.

In 2019, the company LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o. sold almost 30 mil. sq.m of ceramic tiles, with more than 70 % of the production being exported. We export to 92 countries on all continents. We cover the European market and also Middle Eastern markets. We ship our products to Canada, to the United States, Australia, and a number of smaller markets in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

For the Football World Championship 2022 in Qatar, we supply 14 000 sq.m of wall tiles for the Qatar Foundation Stadium. For another World Championship Stadium of Al Thumama, more than 15 000 sq.m of floor tiles have already been supplied. In Qatar, our products will decorate the new Katara Towers project (see image).

The company supplied more than 2 000 sq.m of tiles for both the interior and exterior of the Czech pavilion for EXPO 2020 in Dubai.

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LASSELSBERGER, s.r.o. company further supplies Czech ceramic tiles, for example, to the construction site of the Farwaniah Hospital in Kuwait, a new Kempinski hotel in Dubai, Melia Playa Mujeres Luxuros Paraisos and Barcello Rivera Playa Maya hotels in Mexican Cancún, the Novotel Hotel in Tunisia, an aquapark in Morocco, a subway station in Sofia, a swimming pool complex in Halifax, Canada, Škoda Auto showrooms worldwide and projects of police stations, schools and hospitals in Oman.

We offer top quality and design products, comparable to global competition. We develop the matter of technologies and investments in a dynamic way. In the past two years, the company has invested about 32 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

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EUR 40 million in new technologies. We own the most modern technologies for producing large-format tiles, digital printing, etc.

An advantage that the company has are its own raw material sources. Using ecological products and recycling help to protect natural resources, minimising environmental impacts. The high quality of the RAKO brand products corresponds to the quality and service management system conforming to international standards and certificates.

Our clients appreciate the guarantee of our complex solutions as an important benefit of mutual collaboration. LASSELSBERGER ranks among companies that produce ceramic wall and floor tiles as well as construction chemistry for reliable laying. Only few companies worldwide can boast of this fact.

With this being said, the customer has the guarantee both for the tiles and, if realised properly, for the laying as well, from one manufacturer.

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For object solutions, we provide architects, designers and specialists with a comprehensive system of complementary product series and a focus on high technical standards for swimming pools, stadiums, supermarkets, hospitals, car showrooms, etc.

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Adelova 2549/1 320 00 Plzeň - Jižní Předměstí, Czech Republic Contact Marek Loula: M: +420 724 104 037 Phone: +420 800 303 333 E-mail: info@rako.cz, www.rako.eu PHOTOS: 1. Al Thumama Stadium, Dauha Qatar 2. Swimming pool, Prachatice Czech Republic – POOL Program RAKO 3. Airport Pardubice, Pardubice Czech Republic – RAKO Random series 4. Tunnel Blanka, Prague Czech Republic – RAKO Color Two Series 5. Qatar Foundation Stadium, Dauha Qatar 6. Katara Towers (visualisation), Dauha Qatar C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 33

KEY SECTORS

Czech Engineering – Tradition and Future

Czech engineering firms manufacture a wide range of machinery, including parts and accessories, usable in most sectors of the manufacturing industry and other sectors, such as agriculture, transport, forestry, metalworking, metallurgy, mining, the textile and the paper industries, the food industry, and construction.

HISTORY

Industry in the Czech Lands has a very long and diversified history. Its beginnings can be traced back to the 16th century, to the time of the rule of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King. A lover of Science and the Arts, the King invited to the country masters of different arts and crafts, such as chemists, glassmakers, jewellers, and builders. During his rule, the first blast furnace was built and used in the Czech Lands already in 1595.

Partly due to its continuous operation, iron production could be significantly increased in the country.

34 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

Real industrial development, however, started only in the 18th and the first half of the 19th century, and soon after that the Industrial and Technical Revolution broke out in full. The steam engine, symbol of the Industrial Revolution, appeared in the Czech Lands in 1803. This and other inventions provided immense opportunities and possibilities of increasing production at an unprecedented rate. Heavy industry was developing rapidly. This was the beginning of the development of probably the most important sector of Czech industry – engineering. The very first modern engineering works came into being at Šlapanice near Brno in 1821. This gave an impetus to the rapid development of industry in the whole City of Brno. The rapid development of industry also continued in the second half of the 19th century. A great invention of that time was electric energy. Electricity was opening up unforeseen possibilities, which were waiting to be used. The most important period for what is today the Czech Republic was the close of the 19th century, when the first motorcars began to appear. The first Czech-made motorcar with an internal combustion engine was made in Kopřivnice in 1897 bearing the trademark “President”.

Between the two World Wars, Czechoslovakia was one of the ten countries with the most advanced engineering industry worldwide! The rapid development of industry after the Second World War was influenced by both the international and internal domestic situations. Engineering became the core sector, assisting the less industrialised areas to industrialise.

Photo : Siemens

Engineering is indisputably one of the most important sectors of the Czech economy. It is of key importance for both GDP creation and the balance of trade, and employment. Competitiveness of engineering is the object of interest of foreign investors and therefore support of research and development is essential for maintaining and raising its standards.

CURRENT SITUATION

Photo: Škoda Auto a.s.

The engineering industry in the Czech Republic can boast not only a rich history, but also, thanks to its strong representation across the whole country, the position of one of the pillars of Czech industry.

General engineering – the manufacture of machinery and equipment – employs nearly 11 000 highly skilled workers, who are the most valuable asset of the entire sector. Within the framework of Czech industry, general engineering is one of the most important employers. Its production base, which is a guarantee of continuous improvement and enlargement of the product portfolio, is formed by more than 6 700 companies whose production comprises a very wide range of engineering products.

The engineering industry is spread nationwide. It is often linked with the metallurgical industry, for example, in Ostrava and environments, where heavy engineering predominates. Heavy engineering is particularly concerned with the production of largesize and extra-heavy products, such as parts of ships, large aircraft and mining and metallurgical machinery. On the other hand, light engineering focuses on the manufacture of machine tools, transport equipment, e.g. cars and smaller vessels, as well as a number of other smaller machines used e.g. in the textile industry.

The Czech Republic has always been one of the leading manufacturers of transport vehicles, and, due to its car-making tradition and favourable geographic position, it has become an attractive country for investment. In addition, it is showing a steady growth of revenue and labour productivity in this sector. Car production, followed by the production of buses and lorries, holds an unequivocally dominant position in the manufacture of vehicles.

An important engineering sector is the production of rail vehicles, their repair and modernisation. All kinds of rail vehicles, underground railway trains, tramcars and trolley buses are made in the Czech Republic. Aircraft production is one of the top engineering production sectors using new materials and it has initiated technical progress in a number of other sectors. An important position is held by the production of training jet aircraft and light combat

aeroplanes, regional aircraft, training and sports aeroplanes, gliders, aircraft components and, last but not least, the production of ultralight planes.

Another engineering sector faring well in the Czech Republic is the manufacture of river and river-seagoing cargo vessels, sports boats, yachts, motorcycles, and bicycles. Hot air balloons are also made in the Czech Republic, and mention should also be made of the Czech Space Programme. A very important part of the engineering sector is the manufacture of equipment for industry and construction, the production and repair of steam and water turbines, pumps, and compressors. The Czech Republic is also a manufacturer of machine tools and forming machines and electric hand tools, whose quality competes well with the top world standards.

EXPORT

Czech engineering is a traditionally important export-oriented sector. Up to 80 to 90 per cent of its output is exported. In export, engineering products are the source of the highest proportion of value added and its products are among the best-selling in foreign markets.

As regards the territorial structure of Czech foreign trade, its traditionally largest trade partner is Germany, followed by the UK, France, Slovakia, Poland and Spain. The Czech Republic is the only state in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) which is a member of the prestigious European Committee for Cooperation in the Machine Tool Industry (CECIMO).

The end of the 19th century was marked by the appearance of new technologies – the combustion engine and electrical systems. That period in time is sometimes referred to as the Second Industrial, or Scientific-Technical Revolution. The most important Czech inventors of that time were Josef Ressl, inventor of the propeller, the Veverka cousins, who invented the buzz plough, i.e. an improved plough, which not only dug up the soil, but also turned it up, Viktor Kaplan, inventor of the water turbine, František Křižík, nicknamed the “Czech Edison”, inventor, electrical engineer and entrepreneur, who invented, among many other things, the electric arc lamp, improved the railway safety system, built the first Czech electric power plants and, in 1881, put into operation the first electric tramway line in Prague. In 1903, he built the first electric railway track on the Bechyně-Tábor line, which was the first electrified railway line in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire.

František Křižík Author: Ignác Šechtl; Šechtl and Voseček archives

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 35

KEY SECTORS

Export of machinery and transport vehicles (SITC 7) total Period

Stat. value USD (thous.)

2009

60 635 649

2010

72 606 952

2011

89 163 034

2012

85 099 298

2013

87 467 453

2014

96 291 953

2015

87 542 996

2016

91 585 417

2017

103 865 574

2018

117 828 497

2019 (preliminary data)

117 338 165

Source: Czech Statistical Office

THE FUTURE

A new challenge for future years, not only as regards employment and education, is the “Industry 4.0 Initiative”. The world changed with the discovery of steam and electricity. Today it is being changed by technologies, not only those concerning ICT. That is why the Czech Government will be striving for the creation of a suitable environment in which it will be possible to develop industrial enterprises and the social environment in such a way as to ensure that they stand the test in the digital world. This means in particular the need to build the data and communication infrastructure, restructure the education system, introduce new labour market instruments, adapt the social environment and provide fiscal aid to firms to enable them to cope with the necessity for investment in new technologies and know-how.

For example, what will a lathe operator´s work be like in 15 years?

Will they be working manually in the workshop, dressed in protective clothing? Or will they control the machine remotely by computer, which will be able to give accurate instructions and optimise the consumption of materials and energy, thus raising the effectiveness of production? The Industry 4.0 philosophy is opening up unforeseen possibilities and those who will be able to use them will be prepared to stand the test in the new era.

Source: www.businessinfo.cz, www.mpo.cz. Czech Statistical Office

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C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 37

KEY SECTORS

Czech Food Industry – Hidden Potential

Although the food industry is not an export leader, some of the features perceptible in its development indicate that its export potential is growing. The reasons are especially the strict and insistent quality control, respect of tradition, the use of modern research methods and technologies in production and, last but not least, the development of product, technology, and organisational innovations. We are persuaded that the Czech food industry has much to offer to the world.

EXPORT ARTICLES

The greatest volume of export in this sector is shown by raw materials – cereals, milk powder, malt, coffee, rape oil, feeds, bakery goods, chocolate and cocoa preparations, food preparations, beer, sugar, cheeses and curd.

FOOD INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY

Manufacturers of food industry and agricultural technologies and machines, too, have been doing well in recent years. These technologies and machines are exported to Belarus, the Russian Federation and Georgia, as well as to Albania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Uruguay, and Ethiopia. Foreign companies are showing an interest in bakery and brewery equipment, mini breweries, dairies and cheese-making equipment.

Other export articles of Czech firms include vegetable oil presses, smokehouse equipment, vegetable packing lines, beverage processing and packing lines, meat processing equipment and seed and cereal processing technologies and manufacturing plants.

Czech firms build whole breweries and mini breweries in foreign countries and participate in subcontracting for big projects, especially as regards technologies. Czech brewing exports comprise not only the final product, but also the entire technology, from hops to machinery to expert personnel, especially brewmasters. Some clients require a permanent presence of a Czech technologist, others demand thei presence for just a transient period, until they have trained their own people.

CZECH PRODUCERS

Food producers in the Czech Republic are associated in the Food Chamber, founded in 2001. The Chamber has more than 170 members, whom it represents in negotiations with Czech and EU authorities and organisations with a worldwide scope of operations.

The priorities of this institution in the market are clear: support of quality production, regional trademarks and local producers. It is authorised to award the “KLASA” quality badge, the “Regional Product” and the “Czech Product” badges, all guaranteeing a high quality standard.

Lump sugar has been with us for 179 years. It was in 1841 that Jacob Christof Rad, a Swiss-born physician and director of the refinery in Dačice near Jindřichův Hradec, at that time Austria-Hungary, was issued a patent for this form of sugar, which until then was sold in cones.

Although the invention is credited to Christof Rad, its inspirer was actually his wife. According to the Dačice official website, it happened that one day in August 1841, as Mrs Juliana Radová wanted to cut off a small piece from a sugar cone, she cut her finger. She immediately complained to her husband and the story has it that she suggested that sugar should be made in the form of cubes.

In a few months, the cube was born. In autumn 1841, Juliana received a present from her husband – a case with 350 little red and white cubes of sugar.

Christof Rad had a press made for shaping sugar into cubes and, at the end of 1842, he filed an application to the Court chamber in Vienna to be accorded the privilege of manufacturing lump sugar in Dačice.

The privilege was accorded on 23 January 1843.

Immediately after that, the production of lump sugar

38 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

was launched. The cubes first appeared in Vienna under the name of tea sugar. One package comprised 250 cubes, which weighed one pound and cost 50 kreutzer. The cubes came in two sizes, 1.2 cm x 1.2 cm x 1.2 cm and 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm.

The patent was also bought by other European countries – Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, Switzerland and England. As a point of interest, let us mention that Rad´s invention is used to this day, albeit in a slightly improved form.

The invention of lump sugar has spread throughout the whole world. The town of Dačice is justly proud of its world primacy and, in token of this, has installed a memorial in the form of a cube of sugar cut in granite in the place of honour in front of the town’s Church. www.regiony.rozhlas.cz, www.muzeumdacice.cz, www.tn.cz

Photo: pixabay.com

LUMP SUGAR, AN INVENTION BORN IN DAČICE

Also important for ensuring high quality is the certification of exceptional products, e.g. EU origin marking (such as Bohemia caraway seed, Olomoucké tvarůžky cheese) and guaranteeing traditional specialities (“špekáček” sausage).

Brewing has a long tradition in the Czech Lands. Czech beer and the Czech brewing industry are among the best-known in the world.

The oldest recorded mention of the Czech beer brewing tradition is boasted by Břevnov Monastery in Prague, founded in 993.

Czech beer is protected by an EU geographical indication, the purpose of which is to maintain the good name and quality of beer brewed on the territory of the Czech Republic. The purpose of registration in the Register of Protected Designations is to protect the tradition of Czech brewing, the Czech technology of production and the beer quality, and to prevent imitations pretending to be Czech beer and thus abusing its unique properties. It is also intended to prevent a beer brewed in the Czech Republic from using non-traditional methods or a beer made with the use of traditional methods, but in a country other than the Czech Republic, from being labelled as Czech beer.

There are different brands of Czech beer, which differ in taste and the method according to which they were made. For example, light beer alone can be made by a number of different methods. Each brewery has its own recipe; the breweries may use different fermentation methods, let the brew ferment for a longer or shorter time at a lower or higher temperature, and they may use different kinds and types of vessel for fermentation. Besides the renowned big breweries, there are some 400 mini breweries in the Czech Republic, and their number is growing continuously. Most beer is exported to Slovakia, Germany, and Poland. Out of the non-European countries, the largest importers are Russia, South Korea, and the USA. Wines from the Czech Republic, too, are increasing their export potential. They have a good reputation in Europe and are often winners of international competitions, defeating traditional champions. Winegrowers are also striving to enter non-traditional markets, where the Czech Republic is known rather for its beer and sportsmen. Most Czech wines are exported to Slovakia, Poland and other EU countries.

EXPECTATIONS AND OBJECTIVES

After a period of stagnation, the Czech food industry is now experiencing a revival. All indications are that this development will continue and Czech producers are doing their best to ensure that their products and technologies score ever greater success in world markets.

Compiled from materials supplied by the Food Chamber of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Agriculture.

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 39

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Nanotechnologies Entering into Big Business In the past few years, the Czech industrial tradition has acquired a new dimension with the addition of nanotechnologies to its conventional practice. Nanotechnology based on the combination of organic and inorganic components gives rise to new materials that have a variety of uses, for example in medicine, the textile industry, air and water cleaning, and the manufacture of electrical batteries.

Since the moment in 2004, when the Technical University in Liberec, in collaboration with Elmarco company, developed, as the first workplace in the world, an industrially usable nanofibre, this new technology has witnessed a dynamic development. Thanks to the physical properties of nano microscopic particles a thousand times thinner than the human hair, this technology has found its way into a number of Czech manufacturing firms. The absolute majority of firms whose core business is the use of nanotechnologies in their operations are born global companies, which operate on the international scale and seek trade partners in other countries.

INVESTORS AND THEIR NEED TO EXPORT

Photo: pixabay.com

Currently, more than 15 private research companies and some 70 manufacturers in the Czech Republic use nanotechnologies in their operations. In addition, there are specialised centres in this country to which firms come for consultation to become acquainted with new scientific developments. Twenty-six workplaces of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 37 university faculties, and 9 research organisations financed by the state in the Czech Republic concern themselves with basic research in different nanotechnology areas. Despite being the cradle of nanotechnology research and its practical application, the important thing for the Czech Republic in future is to arouse the interest of investors from neighbouring states, to which Czech firms could export their nano products. All the more so, as firms in as many as 70 regions of the European Union are focusing on nanotechnology research and nanotechnologies are becoming an important instrument of the national economies in their efforts to gain a competitive edge.

WHAT HAVE CZECH FIRMS MANAGED TO ACHIEVE?

According to the Nanotechnology Industry Association of the Czech Republic, this technology does not mean just innovation.

In actual fact it signifies a technological change, whereby man can manipulate matter at the molecular level, across all sectors.

The portfolio of Czech nanotechnology firms is quite broad. Among other areas, it includes the manufacture of photocatalytic paints with titanium oxide nano particles. This practically transparent paint has an extraordinary ability – to clean the ambient air and remove viruses, bacteria, toxins, and cigarette smoke from it.

This principle can be used to reduce air pollution in cities and industrial agglomerations.

Recently, a Czech firm filed a patent application for an electrically conductive nanofibre. When electrical current is passed through it, the fibre acquires the capacity to kill viruses and bacteria in contaminated water. The material can be used for different purposes and in different areas, including the military environment and healthcare, and can be useful in third-world countries, where clean water is scarce.

NANOTECHNOLOGY TRIGGERS OFF A REVOLUTION IN MEDICINE

A real breakthrough is the use of nanotechnologies in medicine, where thus far unheard of possibilities are opening up. They can be used in diagnostics, drug distribution within the body, or the treatment of patients with the aid of special nano instruments. And moreover, nano medicine ranges in sizes in the order of billionths of a metre, and this is the size of the particles of which the human body is composed – molecules, the DNA helix, and also a large number of dangerous viruses. By enabling a detailed view of the biological processes, nanotechnology offers a new set of instruments for understanding the sources and mechanisms of diseases.

Czech firms are keeping pace in this area and there are good prospects that, together with research laboratories, they will be in a position to offer many more products that will find their way into the world, despite the competition from nanotechnology development in the USA, Japan, and China.

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 41

The Art of Technical Surgery

ProSpon Kladno: research, development and manufacture of implants and instruments for orthopaedics, surgery and traumatology

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ProSpon, spol. s r.o., Jiřího Voskovce 3206, 272 01 Kladno, Czech Republic T +420 312 247 763, F +420 312 248 927 prospon@prospon.cz www.prospon.cz

modular system of the total knee arthroplasty ProSpon „Vektor“

Medical Equipment Made by Czech Companies is Conquering the World One of the fastest growing export commodities in the Czech Republic is the export of a wide spectrum of medical supplies and devices for equipping hospitals. The presentation of Czech producers abroad owes much to the fact that the Czech Republic is a country with a strong healthcare system covering all the fields of modern medicine.

On the territory of the Czech Republic, healthcare offers a wide range of outpatient facilities, hospitals, and medical institutions under the patronage of not just the state, but various private entities as well. Czech companies rank among the best in the field of the manufacture and supply of medical materials, devices, and equipment for hospitals.

Every year, their products travel to a number of countries worldwide.Outside of European Union countries, they find their way to the Russian Federation, the Commonwealth of Independent States, territories in south-eastern Asia, the USA, and recently also to Africa,

among others. Czech companies are finding an increasingly solid foothold by supplying products and devices with added value, meaning with a high contribution from research, electronics, and information technologies.

Czech exporters focusing on medical supplies of all kinds have experienced rapid growth in the last ten years. They are successful in acquiring lucrative contracts for providing not just individual goods and services, but for equipping entire hospitals, health centres and healthcare chains, including the construction of such facilities. Examples of these can be found in Ghana, Gabon, Laos, Algeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Papua-New Guinea, Columbia, and even Russia and Kazakhstan. For instance, they had a hand in building three hospitals in Gabon and ten health centres in Ghana alone.

ALL-ROUND EQUIPMENT

A number of Czech suppliers of medical equipment have entrenched themselves in highly competitive foreign markets in recent

ERILENS s.r.o. Company has been assisting people with reduced mobility to integrate into normal life since 1992.

We deal with the production of mobility aids such as forearm crutches, underarm crutches, walking sticks and other medical equipment. In our products, we emphasise quality, functional properties and design.

Therefore, our experienced development and production team follows the current trends and the needs of our customers.

Our company is the only producer of mobility aids in the Czech Republic and is currently one of the biggest distributors on the domestic market.

A significant percentage of our sales also comes from export.

Mobility aids:

ERILENS s.r.o.

Papírenská 114/5 160 00 Prague 6 CZECH REPUBLIC

Jana Dupalová

Export Manager e-mail: jdupalova@erilens.cz phone: +420 777 336 912

• • • • •

forearm crutches underarm crutches child crutches walking sticks accessories (anti-skid extensions, overshoes, loops, holders...)

Other medical equipment: • • •

finger splints irrigators anti-decubitus pads

www.erilens.com C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 43

KEY SECTORS

years. These companies put emphasis primarily on three key factors: Research, leading to reaching high technical parameters; Design, aiding in selling the product; and Quality, resulting in the products‘ reliability. A combination of all these criteria can be found, for instance, in medical instruments and traumatological implants, rehabilitation and transport equipment, medicinal and technical gas distribution systems, stabilisers, cobalt radiators, anaesthesiological equipment, and adjustable hospital beds.

The value of the export of medical equipment abroad is estimated at 25 billion crowns (approximately USD 1.3 bil.). The majority of this is equipment for operating theatres and inpatient wards. The world leader in this segment is the Linet Group, supplier of medical and nursing beds, furniture, anti-pressuresore mattresses and more. The company has expanded its range of products with birthing, gynaecological and dialysis chairs.

Of course, Linet is not the only Czech company to find success on foreign markets.

The majority of such companies believe strongly in running their own development, indicating that this is the way to beating the competition.

EMPHASIS ON QUALITY

Many successful Czech exporters are members of the Association of Producers and Suppliers of Medical Devices (AVDZP). The Association unites over 100 leading Czech companies from the field that achieve a turnover of approximately 17 billion crowns a year.

Their share of export constitutes 35 %. Members of the Association cooperate with a number of research departments of universities, such as the Czech Technical University in Prague, Brno University of Technology, Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, and Masaryk University in Brno. This serves as further evidence of the attention Czech producers pay to the quality, competitiveness, and technical advancement of their medical equipment.

Some of the unique products they export abroad are, among others, degradable stents for the digestive tract, a wide range of steam, hot-air and chemical sterilisers, lab dryers, and incubators. The companies are not only limited to those, however, as they also supply a variety of physical therapy equipment, e.g. electrotherapy devices, sonography devices, lasers and devices for lymphatic drainage therapy. They also export complex systems for biological protection, logistics, and decontamination systems and equipment for urgent and long-term care medicine.

The majority of Czech manufacturers of medical equipment export most of their core production. This indicates that they are succeeding on the world market. Many Czech companies are following suit, managing to develop and continuously successfully export unique products and patented goods worldwide.

Source: Association of Producers and Suppliers of Medical Devices (AVDZP), Businessinfo.cz

www.zdravopro.com About Us With over 20 years experience, our company located just south of Prague, Czech Republic, aims to satisfy your needs for high quality, medical furniture solutions for your clinic, office, or home, at a reasonable price. We manufacture certified & qualified various medical, veterinary & rehabilitation equipment to improve the quality of the experience of your patients and clients. We offer the best possible customer service, price and the highest quality work for your peace of mind. We are here to help you!

Our goods are EU-certified and we can provide you with the certificate, if required.

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Carrie L. Mills, Marketing Director phone: +420 775 238 222 Ing. Jan Turek, Director phone:+420 605 151 379

info@zdravopro.cz

KEY SECTORS

Karlovy Vary

The Czech Republic, Attractive Tourist Destination

Currently, tourism accounts for about 3 % of the Czech gross domestic product and employs more than 230 000 people.

2019 DEVELOPMENTS

The number of guests accommodated in collective accommodation establishments in 2019 was nearly 22 million, 737 000 or 3.5 % more than in 2018. The number of guests has increased for seven years running. The number of local guests accommodated was 218 000 higher than that of foreign guests. The number of local guests accommodated increased by 4.4 % year on year, in comparison with that of foreign guests, which grew by 2.6 %. The number of overnight stays last year exceeded 57 million, with local residents prevailing.

The number of foreign visitors last year was 272 000 higher than the previous year. In 2019, most foreign visitors – a total of 2 million – came from Germany (+2.2 %), followed by guests from Slovakia with 750 000 arrivals (2.6 %) and Poland with 673 000 overnight 46 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

stays (+8.4 %). On the other hand, last year the number of visitors coming from China and South Korea declined.

CONGRESS CAPITAL

The Czech Republic has been ranked among the 30 most suitable countries for congress tourism over the long term, with the Czech capital, Prague, even being one of the 15 most favoured cities. Among others, this evaluation is due to the successful organisation of several conferences of global importance that have been hosted by Prague in recent years.

A stable economy, strategic location, favourable climate, various tourist attractions, as well as the high quality of services provided in the congress facilities are factors that make Prague an attractive destination. The city provides modern hotels with an extensive choice of conference premises, including state-of-the-art facilities. The Prague Congress Centre has been extensively modernised. Capacities and services are also being extended at Václav Havel International Airport, the destination for numerous international flights operated by renowned airlines, as well as a number of low-cost air carriers.

SPA SELECTION

Another important segment of tourism is the spa industry. The Bohemian and Moravian regions are especially rich in mineral water sources, which in the past gave rise to the existence of famous spa localities ranked among the best in the world. The combined work of Man and Nature has achieved world renown and become the country´s important health and economic commodity. The use of natural healing sources, baths, mineral waters and spa treatments has a long-standing tradition. Although spa facilities can be found in

Photo: CzechTourism (Ladislav Renner, Libor Sváček)

The Czech Republic is one of the countries with a thriving tourism industry. The land with a population of 10 million is a peaceful and safe destination, boasting historical monuments, picturesque scenery, world-famous spas, a network of luxury hotels, as well as facilities for leisure activities. In recent years, the Czech Republic has also gained a reputation for congress tourism, for which capacities have been adapted especially in big cities.

Have you heard about Karlovy Vary, a spa town with curative thermal springs?

Whatever your answer may be, Karlovy Vary will certainly not disappoint you. The town´s great attraction is its unique architecture, which, together with other European spa towns, is a candidate for entry in the UNESCO List of World Heritage, as a Great Spa of Europe. What really makes Karlovy Vary unique, however, is its local thermal springs (42o C – 73o C).

Its 13 springs are used for the treatment of digestive tract diseases, diabetes, gout and large joint diseases. Come to Karlovy Vary and make your own experience; then you will understand why the German poet Goethe visited the town 13 times and why the Russian Tsar Peter the Great admired it so much.

Bohemia-lázně a.s. offers: Spa hotels Kriváň, Slovan, Concordia – 3 star accommodation (117 single rooms, 204 double rooms and 19 apartments) Ideal location in the downtown of Karlovy Vary, just a few steps from the colonnades with mineral springs Modern balneological centre offering more than 45 different procedures based on thermal mineral water and peat Spa, Relax and Wellness programmes based on the treatment of gastrointestinal, metabolic and locomotive system disorders Preventive and curative stays for children 7 years of age and older

Bohemia-lázně a.s.

Sanatorium Kriváň – Slovan | Sadová 5 | 360 01 Karlovy Vary Czech Republic Phone: +420/ 352 511 111 | Fax: +420/ 353 228 220 accommodation@bohemia-lazne.cz

w w w.bohemia-lazne.cz

C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 47

KEY SECTORS

all the regions of the Czech Republic, the most significant medicinal resources are in the regions of Karlovy Vary, Ústí nad Labem, South Bohemia, Hradec Králové, and Olomouc.

IN PURSUIT OF HEALTH AND RELAXATION

With the change of lifestyle in recent years, Czech spas have extended their standard offer of curative treatments with new forms of relaxation, regeneration and anti-stress programmes suitable for overworked entre-

preneurs and managers. These special extended programmes, combined with a range of accompanying recreational activities (golf, tennis, fitness, cycling, etc.), are offered by about 40 spa localities in the Czech Republic.

Notably, the aforementioned golf is increasingly reflected in the favourable tourism statistics. So much so that numerous quality courses are situated close to natural beauty and heritage sites. More than 130 golf clubs operate in the Czech Republic and lovers of this game can use more than 70 golf courses. Those of the best quality, with the highest standard of services, have been set up around the capital city of Prague, in what is known as the West Bohemian Spa Triangle near Karlovy Vary, and in Northern Moravia.

PRAGUE Prague is ranked among the world´s ten greenest cities, according to a study by the Dutch TravelBird Company. In terms of square metres of greenery per head of the population, Prague ranks 6th, but in the percentage of the total surface area of the city, it is placed 1st.

Prague

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Ranking 1st in terms of square metres of greenery per head is Reykjavik with 410.84 sq. metres. In next place is Auckland in New Zeeland with 357.2 sq. metres, followed by Bratislava with 332.99 sq. metres and Prague with 220.54 sq. metres of greenery per capita. Greenery occupies 56.74 per cent of Prague´s total surface area, ranking it 1st, with Hamburg coming 2nd with 45.42 per cent and Madrid 3rd with 44.85 per cent.

Mariánské Lázně

KARLOVY VARY REGION Region of World-renowned Spa Resorts The Karlovy Vary Region is the throbbing heart of Czech balneology, attracting guests from all continents who seek rest and recovery. The gates of the country´s ancient spa resorts are open wide to you, too.

Come and let yourselves be persuaded of it by your own senses.

The word “balneology” comprises three aspects: medicine, prevention, and wellness. In Bohemian spas, guests will find recovery after disease and relief from chronic illnesses. They can undergo various cures, such as slimming and rejuvenation, or simply enjoy rest and relaxation, welcomed after the daily hustle and bustle. Here guests can really switch off by strolling through the historical colonnades and tasting the curative mineral spring water, enjoying warm mineral baths and the healing effects of the mud wraps, or entrusting themselves into the hands of experienced masseurs.

Here, the centuries-old spa tradition goes hand in hand with the latest knowledge in medicine, balneology, and wellness. The fruits of this combination can be enjoyed in Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, Františkovy Lázně, Lázně Kynžvart, or Jáchymov. Come to enjoy peace and relief, your body will thank you for it.

KARLOVY VARY

One of the most beautiful spa centres in Europe is named after Charles IV, Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor, who founded the town in 1370.

The spa boasts a 650-year tradition of balneological treatment based on the healing effects of its 15 thermal mineral springs.

MARIÁNSKÉ LÁZNĚ

A world-famous spa town with perfectly tended parks, unique spa architecture, natural beauty and a famous past history, which has been attracting visitors and patients for more than 200 years.

FRANTIŠKOVY LÁZNĚ

A spa town, founded in 1793 by Emperor Francis I, which became a world-renowned peat pulp spa resort. It is unique for its mineral springs with a high carbon dioxide content. It is famous for the treatment of

gynaecological diseases and diseases of the heart and the circulatory and musculoskeletal systems.

JÁCHYMOV

Jáchymov spa was founded in 1906 as the world´s first radon spa. Its unique radon water efficiently aids in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system.

LÁZNĚ KYNŽVART

A small spa resort situated in the Slavkovský Forest area. The mixed forests and the altitude of the spa town create a beneficial foothill climate with exceptionally clean air. The spa specialises in the treatment of children with breathing and skin problems.

Živý kraj – Destinační agentura pro Karlovarský kraj, z.s.

Závodní 84a, 360 05 Karlovy Vary, tel.:+420 354 222 243, info@zivykraj.cz, www.zivykraj.cz

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KEY SECTORS

Tradition Seven Centuries Old On the territory of the Czech State and before that, in what was the Kingdom of Bohemia, glassworks or their modest fore-

50 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

runners always started their existence in places where there was an adequate supply of fuel, which was found in forests. Even today, most of the glassworks are located in the sites of their historical predecessors. Best known are the glassworks in the Liberec Region, where mainly utility glassware and costume jewellery are manufactured. The valleys of the Jizerské and Lužické hory Mountains, where the glassworks are situated, are poetically called “Crystal Valleys”. There are some glassworks which were founded as far back as the 16th century, and beside them there are now also glasswork schools, a university running design specialisation courses and a unique Museum of Glass and Costume Jewellery. Such a concentration of glassmakers can be found nowhere else in the world. Other glass industry localities, however, can also be found in the Ore Mountains, the Giant Mountains, the Jeseníky and the Šumava Mountains and in Moravia in the vicinity of Zlín, where mainly packing glass is made. Currently the glass industry employs about 17 500 people.

Czech glassmaking families always played an important role in development, which influenced the use of new technologies in the entire Central Europe. The art of glass melting was a secret which the father passed on to the oldest son. The most important achievements in glassmaking going to the credit of Czech glassmakers are blue cobalt glass melting by the Schürer family in North Bohemia in the 16th century, the discovery of Bohe-

Photo: Glass AGES, spol. s r.o.; pixabay.com

Glassmaking has a very old tradition in the Czech Lands. Its roots are to be found in the mountainous areas, where the needed raw materials were in sufficient supply. The first glassworks emerged in the latter half of the 13th and the first half of the 14th century.

Czech glass with tradition and quality SKLENĚNÁ BIŽUTERIE, A.S.

www.beadworld.eu

Alšovice 156 | CZ 468 21 Pěnčín | CZECH REPUBLIC | EUROPE sales@beadworld.cz | tel.: +420 483 360 236 | tel.: +420 777 648 124

For 70 years, we have been manufacturing products from Czech glass.

We are masters in our field.

Handcrafted quality by Czech glassmasters

• Customer service • Online information and communications on www.beadworld.eu

• Best prices and delivery terms • Reliable partner • Custom production We offer a wide range of products:

• Pressed Glass beads • Fire polished beads • Table Cuts • Atlas Beads • Glass Mosaic • Glass Souvenirs • Glass Tiles • Light Fixture Accessories • Necklaces • Earrings • Bracelets • Pendants • Design Glass Products • Artistic Glass Products • Games Components • Games for children • and many others…

KEY SECTORS

mia crystal in the Müller glassworks in the Šumava Mountains in the 17th century, and the discovery of glazing and hyaline glass

by Egermann in the first half of the 19th century.

Currently, the Czech glassmaking industry comprises the following production sectors: flat glass, packing glass, glass fibre and products thereof, utility glass (which includes beverage glass, decorative glass and art glass) and other special glassware, such as glass apparatus, laboratory glass, glass parts for screens, glass technical apparatus, protective welding glass, optical glass, jewellery semi-finished products, and glass blocks for construction.

Currently, the largest glass manufacturing

sector is flat glass for construction and transport, followed by packing glass for the food and chemical industries. Another important glass sector, besides ordinary glassware, is the manufacture of luxury hollow glass, decorative glass, and modern lighting fixtures.

Bohemian glass for everyday usage is an important export article in the household utility glass category and, in the category of lead crystal, there is cut lead crystal decorated with paint, drip pen drawing, glazing, high enamelling and engraving, and glass figures. Handmade utility glass and historical replicas are also exported. These glass products, exported to dozens of countries worldwide, go under the name of Bohemia Glass. Luxury goods include, for example, iconic crystal chandeliers, which can be seen in Versailles, St. Petersburg, London, Dubai, Macao, and New York.

Source: Czech Radio, Association of the Glass and Ceramics Industry

Glass Ages, formerly also Capella, specialises in embossed glass sandblasting. All pieces the firm turns out are hand-made and absolutely exclusive for the painstaking care taken by their makers and the specific appearance of each piece.

All the glass pieces are exclusively hand-made, 24% PbO Decorated by cutting and embossed sandblasting Each piece is an original provided with a certificate We are incontestably the only manufacturers of this kind of glass worldwide František & Dominik Šebesta +420 777 759 371 & +420 608 298 636 glass.ages@email.cz | dmnk.sebesta@gmail.com

www.glassages.cz

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PARTNERS WITH YOUR GLASS SINCE 1991 SKLOPAN LIBEREC was incorporated almost 30 years ago as a purely Czech company. Since the very beginning our main programme has comprised the production of innovations and development of machinery specially designed for the processing of flat glass and for the automotive industry.

Glass waste management and recycling

Recycling lines, glass crushers, glass mills, conveyors, zig-zags and others.

ECOSphere – a revolutionary technology of brush-made frosted glass

Environmentally friendly patented solution for glass frosting. No acid, no dangerous waste. Just let the brush transform ordinary glass into something special.

Glass etching lines

Acid etching solutions according to your needs. Up to Jumbo (PLF) format.

Fire-resistant glass production lines

Safety first. Fire-resistant glass is a modern construction material.

Flat glass processing machinery: drilling machines, grinding machines, bevelling machines

SKLOPAN balancer – lifting has never been easier

Automotive industry solutions – automatisation, assembly lines, turn-key technologies

www.sklopan.cz Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the sales representative: Darek Sas darek.sas@sklopan.cz | +420 731 536 037 SKLOPAN LIBEREC, a. s.

Zahradní 445 | 460 01 Liberec Czech Republic

CZECH FOOTPRINTS

Agados Dominates in the Czech Republic Over the past 27 years in the market, Agados has become the largest Czech trailer manufacturer and at the same time one of the largest European manufacturers of trailers up to 750 kg and up to 3 500 kg. The firm has been number one in the market on a long-term basis, not only in the area of hobby trailers and professional universal trailers, but also custom-made vehicles. Its offer comprises a wide range of braked and unbraked trailers of different sizes, which may vary in the materials used, as well as in the possibilities of utilisation. The firm, based in Velké Meziříčí, automatically guarantees service of its products and the sale of authorised spare parts. Through its affiliations and dealers, it is represented across the Czech Republic and in larger European countries.

This successful Czech firm has something to offer everyone, including a simple trailer which can be towed by a car, motorcycle and car transporters, box trailers and professional trailers more than 10 metres in length. Its output is more than 24 000 trailers per year.

Each year the firm places new items on the market in the civilian area, as well as in the special projects segments for integrated rescue systems. One of its new items is the variable hydraulic ADAM trailer, which serves for car and other transportation. Another new item is a series of box trailers made of sandwich panels.

Besides the rich portfolio of products and the development of new models, the company is improving some of its existing models. “For example, we are going to change the lights on our trailers. Braked trailers will have LED lights as standard equipment. The VZ 26 universal trailer, used for the transport of loose materi-

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als, quads or lawn mowers, will change in appearance,” says Petr Ostrý, Director of Agados, when presenting the firm´s plans.

Great success has been scored by the firm in the area of special projects for integrated rescue systems and the army. In 2019, the firm won an award for its unique amphibious all-terrain trailer, which can cope with difficult terrain like snow, mud and rocky surfaces and can also cross water, i.e. it has the capability of floating behind the towing vehicle. “Inspired by the favourable response aroused by the amphibious trailer, we decided to construct it in a smaller version. Such a model will be more adaptable, especially if connected behind other types of towing vehicles,” Petr Ostrý adds.

The company´s portfolio also comprises water treatment plants, drinking water tanks, and award-winning field kitchens in two sizes.

The product range also includes a lighting tower suitable for lighting crash sites, workplaces, camps and other places. These products are used by the Czech Army and also by the Castle Guard, as well as by armies of different countries and units of integrated rescue systems.

In addition to braked and unbraked trailers, the firm also manufactures special custom-made trailers. Some time ago, it built a transporter for the transport of giraffes, a trailer for the McLaren Formula 1 monopost, and a transporter for a special racing car. Agados participates regularly in international trade fairs, including the IDET defence and security technology fair in Brno and IDEB in Bratislava.

It also held an exposition at the Days of NATO exhibition in Ostrava and at the Techagro Fair in Brno.

Fenix Group Furthers Collaboration with Smart Grid Fenix Group a.s. is not only one of the largest Czech manufacturers of electric heating systems, but also an important exporter of its products to 70+ countries worldwide. The core of the Group´s production programme is floor and ceiling heating systems, systems for outer surface heating, gutter, eave and pipe defrosting, radiant panel heaters, including glass and ceramic panels, and convector heaters. The firm, which 30 years ago was started in a small garage making electric panel heaters, is today an important player in the market with a turnover of more than CZK one billion.

In 2019, FENIX Group showed a growth of more than 9 %, with revenue of over CZK one billion, specifically CZK 1 727 000. “The record-high results are largely due to the Czech market. Nevertheless, FENIX Group continues to be strongly export-oriented with affiliations in seven countries – Slovakia, France, Spain, the UK, Norway, Poland, and Germany,” says Cyril Svozil, Director and owner of the holding. For example, FENIX also sells its floor heating systems to Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand, and South and North Americas.

Since the year 2000, mainly due to the steadily growing number of low-energy houses being built, the company has increased its sale of radiant panel heaters more than seven-fold. “The ideal of a fully electrified house with nearly zero energy consumption emerged in 2013. Such a house is connected to the ordinary distribution network, which, however, at the operator´s command, will reduce power offtake from the grid or will go over into island mode. We have also successfully tested modes of controlled power supply into the grid.

By another command, it is possible to increase consumption and store power in a battery device. An integrated roof photovoltaic power plant thus can ensure some 30 % of annual consumption through its own production,” Svozil explains. Most of these heaters are exported.

To meet the demand, over the past three years the Group has invested more than CZK 60 million in the construction, in Jeseník, of a robotised paint shop and an assembly line. As a result, it can double the production of radiant panel heaters. In 2016, the firm invested another CZK 11 million in the adjustment of the assembly line and fitted out a new metalworking workshop. The company has bold plans: to put into

Fenix Trading has become an official partner of Czech participation at EXPO 2020 in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates have chosen as their motto the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, and FENIX Group will be there. As part of the rotating exhibition, which will be devoted to “Czech Energy”, Fenix will be displaying two projects for the whole month of March. The first will be the model of a house of 2020 standards as an active element of the energy system, in which the Fenix energy concept will be presented. The second project will be the AES 10 accumulation station of AERS s.r.o. company. For the whole duration of the international exhibition, i.e. from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, the firm will loan an artefact to the Czech Pavilion, made

by Jakub Nepraš and named “Energy Fenix”. Jakub Nepraš is a visual artist who combines new media in creating what he calls “video sculptures”. He displays his works all over the world and is the holder of several international awards.

operation an electrified family house with nearly zero energy consumption later this year. It has already tested the project in the building of the firm’s office centre in Jeseník.

The plan for 2020 is to make the largest investment in the history of the firm: to build more automated and robotised workplaces in production and start their own production of AES batteries. This plan also comprises the construction of a new factory in Slovakia, expansion of production in Spain, and a new acquisition in Serbia.

RESEARCH DEVOTED TO BATTERY STORAGE

Energy independence? The target is battery storage. This project has been tackled by the Fenix affiliation AERS since 2016. “AERS has developed an original ‘in-house’ modular 10-50 KwH battery storage facility in its Fenix production plant in Jeseník, where it realised a top-standard station with a capacity of 640 kWh. Total investment in this project is CZK 54 million.

“The construction of this modular storage facility started in March this year,” Svozil adds. “In 2013, we started with investment in the automation and robotisation of our workplaces, and the experience we gained in their operation inspired us with the idea to use battery storage facilities.

This is very useful because it often happens, even several times a day, that the system is affected by mini outages, which may cause disconnections, and may cause the disconnection of even expensive and sensitive technologies.

This type of SAS therefore has several essential functions: to reduce the reserved maximum of energy offtake by 35 %, ascertain the observance of the ¼-hour maximum without cutting down consumption, continuously monitor the quality of input energy and, in the event of irregularity, ensure good delivery into the inner net. As regards the future of power generation, we expect that the so-called decentralised power production based on renewable sources will become closely linked with conventional power generation based on the atom. To achieve the required flexibility, battery storage will be used on a large scale, both as regards large-capacity facilities and, in particular, smaller, family house and company facilities capable of changing their energy offtake during the day directly inside the house,” Svozil says.

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CZECH FOOTPRINTS

TOS VARNSDORF TOS VARNSDORF is a leading world-renowned engineering enterprise concerned with the development, manufacture, sales, and service of machine tools. The company has its own construction team for the continuous development of machines and a strong manufacturing base ensuring its own production. TOS VARNSDORF also provides services in the form of collaboration (custom metalworking, measuring and chemico-thermal treatment of engineering products). Its specialisation is the manufacture of horizontal boring and milling machines and machining centres.

The company was founded as far back as 1903 and today its products, distributed throughout all industrial countries worldwide, reflect the experience of several generations of technicians and workers and the present high technical standards of the firm.

These products score success even in the most demanding world markets. Currently, its largest customers are the Russian Federation, Poland, Germany and other EU states, Canada, the USA and other countries. The firm sells its products to China, India, Brazil and many other parts of the world. One of its clients is the firm of FTV PROCLAD (U.A.E.) L.L.C., Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, for which TOS Varnsdorf has manufactured mining platform components.

cess measurement device allowing fully automatic measuring of segments and, after that, to create correctional NC programs. The result is markedly greater precision (size and geometric) of the machined segment. It also makes it possible to work with PDF documents directly on the machine display, to visualise IP camera outputs, and to monitor and diagnose the condition of the machine and its other functions, thus increasing its value. More applications are continuously being developed.

Another novel item is the WVM 2600 T portal machine, whose parameters, robustness and performance already impressed specialists at its first presentation.

The firm´s WVM 2600/3600 T machines are designed for precise and highly productive coordinate milling, drilling, boring and threading,

INNOVATIONS AND NOVEL ITEMS

In 2019, TOS VARNSDORF presented its brand new items on several occasions. At EMO Hannover, Germany, its leading exhibit was the WHT 130 horizontal boring machining centre, fitted with a robotic tool change. The centre reflects the latest trends in the area of machine tool production and is designed for productive machining, ensuring very fast profitability of the financial means invested.

The machine’s configuration makes it possible to be offered in different modifications, from the basic design to a fully equipped multifunctional machining centre combining turning, milling, and boring operations. Its technological variability is complemented by a wide range of technological accessories, which can be clamped on to the machine by hand or automatically. The machine can also be fitted with a robotic tool change and automatic pallet change with a workpiece.

Thanks to these possibilities, the machine can be used in even the most sophicated applications in the aviation and automobile industries, power engineering, the oil industry, and, because of its universality, in general engineering.

More information at: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EgZFNtvkSE0&feature=emb_title Further possibilities of using the machine are provided by the TOS Control machine management system. This system makes it possible to attach to the machine, for example, an in-pro56 C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r

especially of large-size and heavy workpieces, or spatially articulated workpieces of cast iron, cast steel and steel, and other materials used in the automotive and aerospace industries. The machine can be supplemented with a variety of additional technological equipment, which greatly enlarges its technological possibilities.

More information at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3_iJ2hx1ZQ, https://www.tosvarnsdorf.cz/en/

The BioVendor Group The BioVendor group, a family of several diagnostic companies, ranks among the very top suppliers and manufacturers of IVD (In Vitro Diagnostics) solutions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. However, its reach is much wider than that. Thanks to its engagement in research and the internationalisation of its activities, it is on the right path to becoming a leader within a number of diagnostic areas and platforms.

Located in Brno, an internationally known hub of Science, BioVendor utilises its position to establish and run numerous collaborations with universities and scientific institutes to develop new assays based on known but, above all, novel biomarkers. Since its establishment in 1992, BioVendor has placed high importance on innovation and value brought to customers via providing diagnostic solutions.

Recent examples include the fully automated ELISA platform, the proprietary Microarray solution, Next Generation Sequencing kits, and neoteric miRNA assays.

Currently, the group’s own production is branched into four main brands – TestLine Clinical Diagnostics, BioVendor Research and Diagnostic Products (both located in Brno), DIAsource ImmunoAssays, located near Brussels (Belgium), and ViennaLab Diagnostics (Austria). Thanks to the individual member companies, BioVendor provides a broad range of IVD technologies and capabilities, including in-house development and manufacture of immunoassays and molecular diagnostics for the clinical market, as well as a wide offering for the Life Science market.

The core of the portfolio consists of immunoassays in several formats, both single-test and multiplexed, and is focused on infectious serology, autoimmunity, endocrinology, genetic testing, and newly discovered biomarkers. For instance, the Leptin ELISA kit, developed by BioVendor Research and Diagnostic Products, was the first commercially available Leptin kit on the market and has been hugely successful throughout the world. The aforementioned division is now introducing a new miRNA diagnostic panel that will enable early diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) by a single blood test. In addition, a comprehensive microarray test for autoimmunity designed by TestLine Clinical Diagnostics is currently the most complex test of its kind on the market.

Nonetheless, the greatest successes of the group are rooted in the versatile ability to provide complete solutions to a wide range of laboratories, from rather small ones with a limited sample turnover, to large ones requiring a high level of automation and a wide portfolio of tested parameters. “Our strength lies in the ability to provide highly automated solutions without the need to compromise on quality or price”, says Michal Steffl, International Sales Director of the BioVendor Group. “The combination of unique solutions and a wide range of applications has already proved conducive to our successful presence throughout most countries, including those in the Middle East,” adds Mr Steffl.

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INSTITUTIONS

Institutions Present Themselves

CONFEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS’ AND ENTREPRENEURS’ ASSOCIATIONS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC The Confederation of Employers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Associations of the Czech Republic (Konfederace zaměstnavatelských a podnikatelských svazů ČR – KZPS ČR) is an open, independent, special-interest association. l i t unites eight representatives of employer unions in the fields of construction industry, textile industry, small and medium-sized businesses, production and consumer cooperatives, agriculture, mining and oil industry, wood processing industry, education, healthcare, culture, and social services; l i t represents 22 000 bodies with over 1 300 000 employees; l i t supports the promotion of specific interests of its members in the legislative field and in other areas; l i t formulates common business and employer interests of its members and promotes them in cooperation with relevant state authorities, other employers’ organisations and trade unions and especially in various forms by consulting the government; l i t is one of the social partners representing the side of entrepreneurs in the Council of Economic and Social Agreement (Tripartite).

KZPS ČR’s members: lA ssociation of Textile, Leather, and Clothing Industry lU nion of Czech and Moravian Producer Cooperatives l S yndicate of Businesspeople and Tradespeople of the Czech Republic lA ssociation of Entrepreneurs in Building Industries in the Czech Republic lU nion of Employers’ Associations of the Czech Republic l E mployers’ Association of Mining and Oil Industry lA gricultural Association of the Czech Republic lU nion of Czech and Moravian Consumer Co-operatives

Konfederace zaměstnavatelských a podnikatelských svazů ČR Václavské náměstí 21, 113 60 Praha 1 Phone: +420 222 324 985 Fax: +420 224 109 374 E-mail: kzps@kzps.cz l More information at: www.kzps.cz l

CZECH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHO WE ARE l I ndependent public institution of entrepreneurial self-governance l L argest and most representative business association in the Czech Republic, including small, medium, and large companies, self-employed entrepreneurs, associations, unions, and craftsmen organisations lN etwork – regional (regional and district chambers) and professional (unions, associations, etc.) lP latform for 15 thousand members representing more than 60 % of GDP of the country and 66 % of employable population in the Czech Republic in non-compulsory membership scheme lM ember of European and international organisations WHAT WE DO l S upport of International Trade lO rganisation of business missions targeting particular territory or sector lO rganisation of business missions accompanying state and government officials on their visits abroad lO rganisation of business forums, seminars, round tables etc., targeting particular country or territory lO rganisation of bilateral meetings between Czech entrepreneurs and foreign business delegations l Involvement in various European Commission’s programmes l Support to foreign companies in finding suitable business partners in the Czech Republic l Publishing foreign demands, offers or tenders on Chamber website l Czech Business Representation in Brussels (CEBRE) lC onsultancy & advisory services (subsidies, projects, export & foreign trade, legal issues, etc.) lC ZECHPoints (registers, documents, certificates, services, etc.) over 50 one-stop-shops throughout the country lP rofessional Education – national certification programmes (recognised occupation), skill competitions, l T hematic courses & seminars, etc. lO bligatory commenting point for new business legislation l L obbying at local, national, European & international level l I ssuing own monthly KOMORA.cz magazine and weekly electronic news distributed directly to members

Hospodářská komora České republiky Florentinum, Na Florenci 2116/15, 110 00 Praha1 Phone: +420 266 721 300 E-mail: foreigndpt@komora.cz l More information at www.komora.cz l

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CONFEDERATION OF INDUSTRY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC We unite the leading companies and industry associations in the Czech Republic. We advocate the common interests of our members. We influence the economic, social, and environmental policies in the Czech Republic. We improve business conditions.

We promote international trade and investment.

WE ARE l T he largest and most influential independent organisation of employers and entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic lA representative of the Czech Republic’s leading companies, representing a crucial part of the industry – especially the automotive, electronics, chemical, and mechanical engineering sectors, the power industry, transportation, ICT sectors and many others lA volunteer organisation, independent of the government, political parties, and trade unions lA respected social partner and a participant in the European social dialogue WE REPRESENT l 1 1 000+ companies – our members employ more than 1.3 million people l 3 2 industry federations and associations from key areas of the Czech economy lO ver 135 significant individual member companies OUR PRIORITIES l S upporting industry as the main pillar of the Czech economy l S trengthening the significance of research, development and innovation in industry lC ontinuing development in technical education and expanding the technically skilled labour force lC reating a business-friendly environment for entrepreneurs and international investors lA dvancing international trade and exports l I mproving the transport infrastructure l F urthering the digitalisation of the economy and e-Government lW riting and agreeing on a stable, enforceable and predictable legislative framework INTERNATIONAL TRADE PROMOTION lW e organise international conferences attended by heads of states and governments lW e organise international business and trade missions lW e cooperate with partner confederations and business chambers worldwide lW e coordinate incoming business and trade missions lW e represent our members at international trade fairs lW e organise conferences, seminars, and workshops promoting exports

Svaz průmyslu a dopravy České republiky Freyova 948/11, 190 00 Praha 9 Phone: +420 225 279 111 E-mail: spcr@spcr.cz

INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE / ICC ICC is – and has been throughout its long existence – a steadfast rallying point for those who believe, like our founders, that strengthening commercial ties among nations is not only good for business but also for global living standards and for peace. ICC was founded in 1919 in Paris. Today, ICC represents 6.5 million companies and associations in more than 130 countries and transmits their interests to high official representatives including the UN, EU, WTO, OECD, and G20, where ICC has been granted the highest level consultative status.

PRESTIGE Being an ICC member is a question of prestige.

PRINCIPLES ICC creates rules and principles that are fully respected and used in everyday business and have become one of the most important pillars of international trade.

PARTNERSHIP ICC provides a large portfolio of services fundamental for foreign trade, such as educational and advisory services, as well as creating opportunities for establishing partnership with foreign business partners.

ICC Czech Republic was founded in 1999. The main aim of ICC Czech Republic is to assist Czech companies and other businesses to integrate into world events through this prestigious world organisation.

TERRITORIAL WORKSHOPS The main aim of these workshops is to support the efficiency of Czech economic diplomacy under the presence of Czech ambassadors to introduce trade and investment opportunities to Czech exporters, to help diversify Czech export to perspective markets and to help establish useful business contacts. In the period of 2017/ 2018, these workshops were focused on e.g.: Greece, Thailand, Nigeria, Albania, Belarus, Latvia, Ukraine, Iceland, the USA, Cuba, Kuwait and Qatar, Macedonia, Romania, Ireland and many others.

SEMINARS, PROFESSIONAL COURSES Our extensive range of educational programmes is targeted at specific topics associated with conducting international trade.

Lecturers include experts and professionals with long-time experience or managers working in the given field – Incoterms 2010, Bank guarantees and experience with URDG 758, Documentary Credits and Standbys – International Standard Banking Practice and Practices in the USA, Terms of international sale contract in foreign trade.

Národní výbor Mezinárodní obchodní komory v České republice Florentinum, Na Florenci 2116/15, 110 00 Praha 1 Phone: +420 257 217 744 E-mail: icc@icc-cr.cz l More information at: www.icc-cr.cz l

l More information at: www.spcr.cz l C z e c h R e p u b l i c – Yo u r Tr a d e Pa r t n e r 59

INSTITUTIONS

Great people, great service

SERVICE CAPABILITIES

www.spedman.com

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Spedman Global LOGISTICS A.S. is a forwarding company, which – together with partners around the world - provides AIR, LAND & SEA services to our local and global clients.

Our biggest asset is our skilled and professional staff who, besides your transport, also take care of Customs processing and warehousing. n Throughout the years, we have handled everything from personal goods, used cars, diplomatic missions and many other kinds of cargo.

Spedman Global Logistics Group companies operate in Austria, the Baltics (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia), Czech Republic (+ Slovakia), Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland and Sweden.

SERVICE CAPABILITIES n Ocean freight FCL/LCL n Air freight n Customs clearance (fully licensed Customs broker) n Warehouse and storage management n Cargo insurance coverage

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www.spedman.com

CZECHINVEST, BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENT AGENCY CzechInvest: Your gateway to success in the Czech Republic The Business and Investment Development Agency CzechInvest is a state contributory organisation subordinated to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. Services include sector-specific market intelligence, identification of business properties and sites, investment incentives, identification of potential business partners, suppliers and acqusition targets as well as aftercare services. The Agency contributes to attracting foreign investors operating in the manufacturing industry, business support services and technology centres, and also supports Czech enterprises in their expansion efforts.

To simplify communication between the state, business, and the European Union, CzechInvest acts as an umbrella business-promotion organisation for companies using both EU and national funding.

CzechInvest is exclusively authorised to file applications for investment incentives at the competent governing bodies and prepares draft offers to grant investment incentives. Its task is also to provide potential investors with current data and information on business climate, investment environment, and investment opportunities in the Czech Republic.

All services are provided free of charge.

CzechInvest Štěpánská 15, 120 00 Praha 2 Phone: +420 296 342 579 E-mail: fdi@czechinvest.org l More information at: www.czechinvest.org l

CZECH TOURISM AUTHORITY – CZECHTOURISM The Czech Tourism Authority - CzechTourism is an allowance organisation of the Ministry for Regional Development and its goal is the successful presentation of the Czech Republic on the domestic and foreign markets. It uses its central office in the Czech Republic for that as well as its network of foreign offices both in other European countries, including Germany, the UK, and Spain and in non-European countries such as China, Brazil, and the United States.

The basic objective of the network of foreign CzechTourism representative agencies is to promote the Czech Republic in the respective markets, build brand awareness of destinations and stimulate the volume of arrivals of foreign visitors to the Czech Republic. CzechTourism Agency branches offer a wide range of promotional activities. Their basic tools include campaigns (on-line, print and outdoor), press and excursion tours, road shows, participation in trade fairs, promotional events, organising presentations and workshops, collaboration with foreign and Czech entities and establishing and developing contacts with strategic partners.

The main vision of the CzechTourism Agency is shaping a new perception of the Czech Republic. It is precisely a change in the perception of tourism by the residents themselves and increasing their brand loyalty to the “Czech Republic” in the context of domestic and incoming tourism that is one of the fundamental objectives of the agency for the coming period.

CzechTourism promotes the Czech Republic brand on the domestic and foreign market on several levels. It participates in dozens of domestic and foreign tourism fairs and publishes sets of publications, brochures and maps in several languages attracting visitors to the Czech regions. An important element of promoting the Czech Republic abroad is to introduce tourism potential through press and excursion tours, i.e. trips to the Czech Republic designated for foreign journalists and tour operators.

Another agenda is to support major domestic events of both a local and international character.

The promotion of the Czech Republic in the field of congress and incentive tourism on the domestic and foreign market is the mission of the Czech Convention Bureau, closely cooperating with the various regional offices, covering the work of the regions, thus contributing to maximising the utilisation of all the congress potential that the Czech Republic has to offer.

Česká centrála cestovního ruchu – CzechTourism Vinohradská 46, P.O.Box 32, 120 41 Praha 2 Phone: +420 221 580 111 E-mail: Info@czechtourism.cz l More information at: www.czechtourism.com l

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INSTITUTIONS

UNICODE SYSTEMS, s.r.o.

Průmyslová zóna 161 | 674 01 Třebíč | Czech Republic Phone: +420 568 404 111 | +420 724 166 671

www.unicodesys.cz

Your Business Partner in the Oil & Gas Retail Sector Supplier of scalable site system platforms to enable current and future customers‘ proposals.

Unicode Systems has 30 years‘ international experience, and is active in 10 European countries in the CEE region.

Products & Solutions ECR systems - POS, BOS solutions Enterprise Central Solutions - WEB Office Fleet Card Payment Solutions Loyalty Solution Mobile payment applications Self-service payment terminals Control of forecourt technology

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CZECH CENTRES WHO WE ARE AND OUR AMBITIONS The Czech Centres is an agency established for the promotion of the Czech Republic internationally and managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Our organisation provides a global network throughout three continents and 24 cities and we are active members of EUNIC, the European Union National Institutes for Culture.

Our primary aim is the development of enduring international cultural and economic links between the Czech Republic and other nations. We create and support partnerships for Czech industries and culture on a local and global level through both public and private bodies.

OUR WORK, YOUR OPPORTUNITIES We accomplish these aims by fostering cooperation between foreign cultural institutions, experts, and individual artists with Czech entities through highly successful international events, projects, and schemes.

These are successful because of our connections to the best Czech institutions of education, science, and culture and by providing access to research and innovation and identifying and exporting the most dynamic driving forces of science and creativity of the Czech Republic. We support the development of institutions, such as universities, start-ups and professional bodies, through mutual international cooperation to promote their success and in doing so, provide unique opportunities to anyone interested in working with and investing in the Czech Republic.

In addition, our organisation provides practical skills and knowledge. We are renowned and trusted in our support for those teaching and using the Czech language, enrolling over 2 800 students in Czech language courses worldwide in last year.

The Centres present the Czech Republic in cooperation with regional partners abroad. Having many professional partners, we act as a focal contact point for information sought by general public, media and others.

CENTRE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC – ENTERPRISE EUROPE NETWORK Centre for Regional Development of the Czech Republic (the Centre) has been founded by the Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic and is the implementing agency for European funding programmes.

The Centre hosts one of the offices of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), the largest international network (with more than 600 partners worldwide) set up and run by the European Commission with the purpose of supporting businesses. Its consortium based in the Czech Republic (CR) consists of six partners in four cities – Praha, Brno, Plzeň, and Ostrava. The mission of the EEN is to help especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) with entering the EU and foreign markets and doing business there. Its experts provide comprehensive advisory services to businesses with the aim of broadening the international cooperation of companies, raising the innovative potential of enterprises in the EU and helping SMEs to become integrated more widely in the EU framework programmes.

To foreign clients, the Centre – EEN Praha office offers: information about the CR, about the business environment in the CR, Czech legislation, about how to find Czech partners for cooperation, information about starting a business in the CR, sources of financing from Structural Funds and other information.

Services of the Enterprise Europe Network are funded from the European Union’s COSME Programme (2014-2020) under the grant agreement No. 831241 and by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Centrum pro regionální rozvoj ČR – Enterprise Europe Network U Nákladového nádraží 3144/4, 130 00 Praha 3 Phone: +420 225 855 312 E-mail: een@crr.cz l More information at: www.crr.cz, www.een.cz l

WHERE WE ARE Locations of our global network: Athens - Berlin - Bratislava - Brussels - Budapest - Bucharest – Jerusalem - Kiev - London - Madrid - Milan - Munich - Moscow - New York - Paris – Rome - Rotterdam - Sofia - Seoul - Stockholm - Tel Aviv - Tokyo - Warsaw - Vienna.

Česká centra – ústředí (Centre) Václavské nám. 816/49, 110 00 Praha 1 Phone: +420 234 668 211 E-mail: info@czech.cz l More information at: www.czechcentres.cz l

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CO N TAC TS

Useful Contacts USEFUL CONTACTS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC United Arab Emirates – EMBASSY OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Sibiřské náměstí 730/1, 160 00 Praha 6 Phone: +420 221 517 777 E-mail: pragueemb@mofaic.gov.ae Web: www.mofaic.gov.ae

Ministry of Culture Ministerstvo kultury www.mkcr.cz

MINISTRIES

Ministry of Justice Ministerstvo spravedlnosti www.justice.cz

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministerstvo zahraničních věcí www.mzv.cz

Ministry of Defence Ministerstvo obrany www.army.cz

Ministry of Industry and Trade Ministerstvo průmyslu a obchodu www.mpo.cz

Ministry of the Interior Ministerstvo vnitra www.mvcr.cz

Ministry of Agriculture Ministerstvo zemědělství www.eagri.cz

USEFUL CONTACTS IN UAE

Ministry of Transport Ministerstvo dopravy www.mdcr.cz Ministry of Finance Ministerstvo financí www.mfcr.cz Ministry of Regional Development Ministerstvo pro místní rozvoj www.mmr.cz Ministry of the Environment Ministerstvo životního prostředí www.mzp.cz Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Ministerstvo práce a sociálních věcí www.mpsv.cz Ministry of Health Ministerstvo zdravotnictví www.mzcr.cz Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy www.msmt.cz

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DIPLOMATIC MISSION OF THE CZECH REPUBIC – United Arab Emirates Diplomatic, consular, and visa competences for: United Arab Emirates Address: Embassy of the Czech Republic Marina Village, Villa A09, Breakwater Area P.O.Box 27009 Abu Dhabi Phone: +971 2 6782800 Fax: +971 2 679 5716, +971 2 676 7558 (consular section) E-mail: abudhabi@embassy.mzv.cz Consular section: consulate_abudhabi@mzv.cz Economic section: commerce_abudhabi@mzv.cz Website: www.mzv.cz/abudhabi CzechTrade Dubai Dubai World Trade Center 7th Floor Office No.21 P.O.Box 9759 Sheikh Zayed Road DUBAI United Arab Emirates Phone: +971 4 3097018 Mobile: +971 504 509 941 E-mail: michal.nedelka@czechtrade.cz Website: www.czechtradeoffices.com/en/ae

Handmade in The Czech Republic Original metal toys

KOVAP Náchod, s.r.o. | Zuzana Holá | Phone: +420 602 351 599 | hola@kovap.cz | https://eshop.kovap.cz/

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CO N TAC TS

The Most Important Websites Businessinfo

www.businessinfo.cz

Doing Business in the Czech Republic

www.doingbusiness.cz

Portal of the Public Administration

www.vlada.cz

Official site for business and exports General information on business climate, structure, and development of the Czech economy The electronic gateway for the public to administration and government services

Company Contact Information ARES

www.info.mfcr.cz/ares/ares.html Access to Registers of Economic Subjects/Entities

Hoppenstedt Bonnier

www.hbi.cz

The most important companies in the CR and the SR

Inform.cz

www.inform.cz

Czech Company Catalogue

Kompass

www.kompass.com

Czech Company Catalogue

European Databank

www.edb.cz http://exporters.czechtrade.cz/ en/

Information operator

Iuridika

http://iuridica.eunet.cz

Directory of legal services and official bodies

Portal of Czech judiciary

www.justice.cz

Course of legal proceedings

Czech National Bank

www.cnb.cz

Monetary, financial, and macroeconomic data

Prague Stock Exchange

www.pse.cz

Prague Stock Exchange data

RM-System

www.rmsystem.cz

Czech Stock Exchange

Czech Insurance Association

www.cap.cz

Directory of insurance companies operating in the CR

Czech Statistical Office

www.czso.cz

Official statistical data and information covering different subjects

Fairs and Exhibitions BVV – Brněnské veletrhy a výstavy/Trade Fairs Brno Miscellaneous

www.bvv.cz

List of exhibitions and fairs in the CR and relevant information

The Industrial Property Office

www.upv.cz

The Czech Science Foundation

www.gacr.cz

The Register of Advertising Agencies

www.registrra.cz/rra

Česká pošta (the Czech Post)

www.ceskaposta.cz

Residence of Foreigners in the CR

www.domavcr.cz

Patents, trade marks, utility models, and industrial designs Awards grants to the best projects of basic research in all branches of science Expert assistance in choosing and working with advertising and communication agencies in the CR Incl. postcodes of municipalities and its districts (PSC), philately etc.

Advice for living in the CR

Association for Foreign Investment

www.afi.cz

Support for entry of foreign investors

Cadastre of Real Estate

www.cuzk.cz

Information system, contains data on real estate in the CR

Road Toll in the CR National Register of Vocational Qualifications Portal of the Regional Information Service The Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants

www.mytocz.eu

www.risy.cz

Information on toll and charges Survey of professional qualifications recognised in the Czech Republic Information website on the regions

www.ahrcr.cz

Directory of hotels in the CR

Czech exporting companies

Company-Catalogue Czech Exporters Directory

Legislation

Finance

Statistics

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www.narodni-kvalifikace.cz

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Karlovy Vary Region The Region of World-famous Spas You are cordially invited to the Karlovy Vary Region, to the sites where healing mineral springs arise and where you can admire unique natural phenomena, to towns with both rich history and contemporary culture, to mountain resorts where you can practise winter sports as well as enjoy summer well-being.

www.zivykraj.cz