Logistics of Czech Business at Time of Economic Recession
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SO FAR , SO GOOD OLOMOUC REGION US SUCCESS OF CZECH SCIENTISTS’ INVENTION PARALYMPICS WINNER AND WORLD CYCLING CHAMPION JIŘÍ JEŽEK LOGISTICS OF CZECH BUSINESS AT TIME OF ECONOMIC RECESSION THE CZECH REPUBLIC PRESIDING OVER THE 11-12 COUNCIL OF THE EU IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2009 2009 MASARYK UNIVERSITY (MU) RANKS AMONG THE EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN EUROPE WHICH ARE DEVELOPING MOST RAPIDLY. IT IS GRADUALLY BECOMING A CENTRE OF EURO- PEAN RESEARCH, ESPECIALLY IN THE INTER-BRANCH FIELDS OF LIFE SCIENCE, INFORMATICS, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE. IN THE STAGE OF PREPARATIONS ARE CENTRES OF EXCEL- LENT SCIENCE SUCH AS THE AMBITIOUS PROJECT OF THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (CEITEC, WWW.CEITEC.EU), WHICH IS FOCUSED ON BASIC RESEARCH, AS WELL AS IMPORTANT REGIONAL CENTRES OF APPLIED RE- SEARCH (INCLUDING CETOCOEN AND CERIT). A boost to the dynamic development of MU was given by the unique project of a university campus built on an area of 20 hectares in Brno-Bohunice at the cost of approximately EUR 200 million between 2005 and 2009. It is comprised of two dozen pavilions for Life Science and includes an incuba- Architecture and general designer A PLUS a.s.; Photo for a.s. by Zdeněk Náplava tor of biomedical technologies for newly established fi rms. The MU place of contact for co-operation with partners is the Technology Transfer Offi ce, which protects the MU intellec- tual property and secures the transfer of technologies and knowledge. More information is available at www.muni.cz, www.ctt.muni.cz (direct contact: Jan Slovák, Director of the MU Technology Transfer Offi ce, [email protected]). www.muni.cz CZECH BUSINESS AND TRADE Czech Business and Trade Economic Bi-monthly Magazine with a Supplement is Designed for Foreign INTRODUCTION Partners, Interested in Cooperation with Questions of the Month for Jan Kohout, Minister of Foreign Aff airs 4 the Czech Republic ECONOMIC POLICY Issued by PP AGENCY s.r.o. in cooperation with So Far, So Good 5 Ministry of Foreign Aff airs of the Czech Republic Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic We Expect Low Infl ation and Interest Rates 6 Confederation of Employers‘ and Entrepreneurs‘ Slump in Foreign Trade, but Largest Surplus in Balance 8 Associations of the Czech Republic Czech Chamber of Commerce CZECH TOP DURATEC –Czech Bicycle at its Best 10 EDITORIAL BOARD: PRIM Watches – 60 Years of Czech Watchmaking Tradition 11 Ivan Angelis, Růžena Hejná, Josef Jílek, Tomáš Kopečný, Marie Pavlů, Pavla Podskalská, YOUNG STARS Josef Postránecký, Libor Rouček, Jiřina US Success of Czech Scientists’ Invention 12 Semanová, Jiří Sochor, Jarmila Škvrnová MANAGING EDITOR: SERVICES Ivana Šmejdová Logistics of Czech Business at Time of Economic Recession 14 Development of Czech Industrial Market Slowed Down 16 EDITORS: Šárka Kratochvílová, Jaroslava Bradová Science-Technology Parks Flood Czech Republic 18 Essential Support for Innovation Businesses 20 REGULAR COLLABORATORS: Matěj Sýkora KALEIDOSCOPE TRANSLATION: Co-operation for Development 17 Vlasta Benešová, Alena Kenclová, Robert Krátký, Nearly One-Third of Czech Population Are Potential Investors 17 Lucie Pavlíčková, Dagmar Šímová, Halka CzechInvest Starts a New Incubator 17 Varhaníková REGION READ: Matthew Booth, Pearl Harris, Ivana Kadlecová, Olomouc Region 22 – 31 Zuzana Pavlíčková PRESENTATION OF FIRMS GRAPHIC DESIGN: Böttcher ČR , k.s.; GOLF BRNO a.s.; KAREKA, spol. s r.o.; Masarykova univerzita; Art Director: Nina Nováková Řetězárna a.s.; Technologické inovační centrum s.r.o.; Ústav makromolekulární Graphic designer: Jiří Hetfl eisch chemie AV ČR, v.v.i. Production: Anežka Zvěřinová DEADLINE: 10/10/2009 © PP Agency JIŘÍ JEŽEK AND HIS UNIQUE DURATEC BIKE Company with the ISO 9001 certifi ed quality management system for publishing services Paralympics winner and World Cycling Champion, Jiří Ježek, fol- ADDRESS: lowed up his achievements at the Myslíkova 25, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games by Phone: +420 221 406 620 Fax: +420 224 930 016 giving an excellent performance at e-mail: [email protected] the Manchester Velodrome track www.ppagency.cz, www.doingbusiness.cz Cycling World Championships in 2009. He captured the title of World Press run: 10 000 copies. The number of printed Champion in the prestigious 4-km and sold copies of the journal is verifi ed by pursuit race and scored other two auditor, HZ Praha, s.r.o., member of PANNELL successes – winning the Bronze KERR FORSTER Worldwide. It is not allowed to Medal in the 1 km standing start reproduce any part of the contents of this journal race with a personal record for him without prior consent from the editor. and, together with Tomáš Kvasnička Attitudes expressed by the authors of articles car- and Jiří Bouška, winning the Silver ried by CBT need not necessarily be consistent with Medal in the team sprint, which the standpoint of the Publisher. MK ČR E 6379, ISSN was the best result of any Czech 1211-2208 „Podávání novinových zásilek povoleno team in the history of this event for Českou poštou, s. p., odštěpný závod Přeprava, č. j. handicapped cyclists. More about 3468/95, ze dne 24/10/1995“ Jiří Ježek and his unique Duratec Cover photo: Věra Vodičková bike on pages 10-11. 3 | INTRODUCTION Questions of the Month for Jan Kohout, Minister of Foreign Affairs What are the current priorities of in shaping attitudes to essential global Czech foreign policy? subjects. Utilising this potential is, after all, First of all, I would like to point out that a challenge for every government. Czech diplomacy will continue to follow By its eff orts, this government has con- primarily two maxims: defending Czech tinued the work of its predecessor and suc- interests and spreading the good name cessfully wound up the Czech Presidency of the Czech Republic throughout Europe of the EU. I feel a great responsibility for and the world, and providing services for projects initiated during its term, especial- Czech citizens finding themselves in dif- ly regarding the EU eastern partnership, ficulty on visits to foreign countries. The which will provide help to six eastern EU first maxim focuses especially on fostering neighbours – Belarus, the Ukraine, Moldo- good neighbourly relations, strengthen- va, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, on ing the position of the Czech Republic their way towards strengthening demo- in the EU, invigorating transatlantic ties, cratic principles and economic stability. supporting the efficient functioning of The realisation and implementation of the economic diplomacy, co-operating with eastern partnership is a high profi le prior- developing countries, and strengthening ity of today’s leading offi cials in the Minis- democracy and defending human rights try of Foreign Aff airs. throughout the world. The second maxim, no less important, Will the Czech Republic support the concerns the provision of state serv- further enlargement of the EU? Jan Kohout ices to citizens, protecting them and In accordance with the Czech Repub- increasing their comfort on visits to for- lic’s long-term interests, our Ministry will eign countries, during which they often continue supporting the enlargement encounter various types of problems. In of the EU and the building of a common future, I want to pay utmost attention to European energy policy. I will pay special both these pillars of foreign service at the attention to the Western Balkan States, head of my Ministry. which, from my point of view, have no other alternative in the European con- How do you see our future participation text. As a follow-up to the ratification of in European structures? the Lisbon Treaty, the Ministry of Foreign As in the past, the Ministry of Foreign Af- Affairs will participate actively in putting fairs will place emphasis on good work the new EU institutional architecture into within the framework of the European practice. The main assets of the Treaty, in Union. The EU is the best platform for pur- our opinion, are greater democratic con- suing Czech foreign policy interests, pro- trol of EU institutions, greater efficiency viding a unique opportunity to participate of their functioning and strengthened solidarity in key issues, such as energet- ics. We shall make every effort to take the maximum advantage of this potential of the new Treaty. In the security area, the Czech Republic will also continue to maintain its position as a reliable partner and loyal ally. It is our intention to ensure the Czech Republic’s active participation in debates on the new strategic concept of NATO and, not least of all, I will put emphasis on co-op- eration in the anti-rocket defence alliance project. Czech foreign policy wants to pursue “a three C‘s“ principal: continuity, creativ- ity and credibility. In all these “C’s“, Czech diplomacy is in a position to prove its un- Minister Jan Kohout and members of the European Parliament deniable role. Affairs archives MinistryPhoto: of Foreign | 4 ECONOMIC POLICY So Far, So Good At the time this material was being According to the Czech Statistical Of- International Monetary Fund for Europe written (October 2009) my message fi ce, GDP dropped year-on-year by dating from May 2009, co-written by Czech 5.5% in the second quarter, the most in the economist Martin Čihák, suggests that to foreign businessmen, potential history of the Czech Republic. On the other household consumption in the Czech Re- investors, and business partners was hand, it is necessary to note that in compari- public is most connected to the develop- the following: The Czech Republic is son to the previous quarter GDP grew by ment of wages and expectations concern- 0.1%. However, this single GDP fi gure is not ing unemployment. It is in no great way not in a crisis, it is in recession.