At the International Engineering Fair, the traditional General Assembly of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic took place, setting tasks for the future government
October 9, 2025 / 11:11 AM
For representatives of industry and business, the top priorities include speeding up permitting processes, ensuring competitive energy prices, increasing support for applied research, and reducing bureaucratic burdens.
Even the 450-seat capacity of the Rotunda in Pavilion A was not enough to accommodate the high interest in this year’s Assembly of the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic. Among the guests was the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and a rarity was the active participation of representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade — both from the outgoing and the likely incoming governments. Confederation representatives summarized the priorities that, in their view, the new political leadership should reflect, and outlined possible ways to address the most pressing issues. In these turbulent times, when Europe is grappling with its future, its defense resilience, and competitiveness, they called for responsible and strategic decisions that would ensure long-term growth of the Czech economy and strengthen the country’s position within the EU.
In his speech to business leaders, President Petr Pavel emphasized the urgency of the tasks that lie ahead. “The world is changing dynamically, and our economy must be able not only to adapt to the present but also to prepare for future challenges such as advancing automation or the use of artificial intelligence in fields where we could hardly imagine it before. The Czech Republic has many advantages to build on: its geographical location in the heart of Europe, as well as expertise and experience in many key sectors,” said the President, adding that he intends to actively support entrepreneurs in dialogue with the new government.
Jan Rafaj, President of the Confederation of Industry, described this year’s Assembly as particularly important, especially due to the change of governments. “The debate was very substantial and detailed, and we heard many commitments. Industry is ready to build bridges between sometimes quarrelling parties, because there can be only one economic strategy, one economic interest, and above all, one Czech success. The entire Assembly revolved around discussions on innovation and added value, and I would like Czech companies here at MSV to find inspiration and move towards innovation,” concluded Jan Rafaj.
