Complexity of European tenders
From left Robert Vindiš, Director of CzechTrade office in Zagreb, Pavel Svoboda, director of CzechTrade office in Beograd and Michal Kadera of CEBRE
On average only 7 out of 833 applicants (from 49
countries) for contract framework tenders within
the European development aid are Czechs. What is
behind the low participation of Czech companies in
the EU development aid and EU tendering? On 30th
June, CEBRE discussed the issue of EU tendering
and granting with Czech companies, territorial directors
of Czech export agency CzechTrade and Czech
economic counsellors.
The main reasons for low
participation are: complexity, late payments and bureaucracy.
First, there is a lack of knowledge about
these instruments, despite many raising awareness
campaigns and information sources.
Second, there
is some scepticism about the use of EU money. One
Czech entrepreneur, owner of an ICT company, has
experience with EU tendering. His company was
granted around 20 tenders in candidate and potential
candidate countries. He states that the period of
payment by the Commission was 45 days, not 30
days as he expected. Moreover, the 45-day period was often not respected.
In the Czech Republic,
the beginning of the payment period is commonly
assumed as the issue date of the invoice. The EU
institutions count the time from the date the invoice
is recorded in their system and accepted in accordance
with the “complete delivery” (a process called
provisional acceptance).
When suppliers deliver goods/services, they have
to ask for this provisional acceptance. Therefore,
the payment period starts only when an EU project
manager » read more «
Is it finally time for innovation?
For a number of years the EU has been promoting
stronger strategic involvement in innovation policies in
several strategic documents and political statements.
Nonetheless, most of the Member States seem not to
have managed (by far) to increase their public investment
in research and development to meet the agreed
targets. Finally, with the Barosso II and the Lisbon Treaty,
innovation seems to be put at the fore front of European
policies - EU2020 Strategy confirmed the 3% target in
R&D, Commissioner Madam Geoghegan-Quinn is also responsible for innovation and autumn Council meeting
will be dedicated to innovation.
The concept of innovation
is as broad as one can imagine. It goes from
research and development to transfer of technologies
through environment, energy and other fields. Mentioning
energy, one of the biggest challenges is the development
of sustainable and smart infrastructure. It would
enable gas and electricity to flow between Member
States without bottlenecks » read more «
Can we save the Internal market ?
Long awaited recommendations of professor Monti
regarding the relaunch of the Internal Market were
handed to the president of the European Commission
José Manuel Barroso on 9 May. More than
innovative strategy the 107-page report requested
by Barroso, looks like a cook book for the EC
president when searching for better compromises
convenient for EU institutions, Member States and
the civil society.
25 years after the issue of the White
paper on the Internal Market, Monti points out the
fact that there is not any complete Internal Market
yet. Moreover, there are more participants and
challenges today. In reaction to the Monti´s report,
the European Parliament recommended the EC to
adopt a Single Market Act by May 2011 at the latest
and set up priorities for a highly competitive » read more «
ENERGIZING EUROPE: Nuclear debate in ENEF continues
On May 25-26, the 5th plenary session of the European
Nuclear Energy Forum took place in Bratislava,
gathering political representatives, including
Slovak and Czech Prime Ministers Robert Fico and
Jan Fischer, Commissioner for energy Günter Oettinger,
Members of European Parliament, nuclear
experts and representatives of NGOs. The forum
reaffirmed its outstanding contribution to open and
objective discussion about the nuclear energy in the
EU, with many speakers stressing its irreplaceable
role as a stable and proven low-carbon source.
The
need for qualified personnel was repeatedly mentioned
as a key pre-condition
for further nuclear
„renaissance“.
Vaclav Lebeda, ČEZ Group
GDP per capita without change
The Czech Republic is 17th when it comes to GDP per capita in the EU. In 2009, Czech GDP represented 80% of the EU average. Traditionally, the richest country is Luxembourg (268%) and the poorest is Bulgaria with only 41% of the EU average.
The Czechs have got what they chose
The new Czech government is to be set up following the parliamentary elections in May. Negotiations about the ministerial chairs within the new coalition led by conservative parties TOP 09, ODS and conservative liberal VV (Public affairs) are still in progress. However, some preliminary agreements were made regarding the limitation of MPs and Senators immunity, obligatory university fee for students, direct presidential elections, reduction of politicians´ salaries and fighting corruption.
Czech businesses opposes financial transaction tax
Czech companies do not support an EU agreement made at the beginning of June on bank levies and financial transaction tax. Czech PM Jan Fischer as well as Italy´s PM Silvio Berlusconi refused to discuss bank levies unless there is a G20 agreement for a global deal. Additional bank levies could worsen access of businesses to credit, which is already very difficult.
Pessimism still present
According to the survey of Czech Confederation of Industry published in May, business confidence rose to 16.8% compared when compared with May 2009. It shows that there is a slight recovery and hope for the end of recession in 2011. However, one-third of respondents are to reduce the number of their employees this year.
