Speech of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Mirek Topolánek at the Meeting with Representatives of SMEs
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
I do not want to besiege you with figures. The essential thing is that France is the fourth biggest business partner of the Czech Republic after Germany, Slovakia and Poland, which are our direct neighbours and before all the other countries of the European Union.
I do not think it is necessary to add more. As far as large countries of the EU are concerned, trade with France is developing fastest; 40 years of barriers did not change anything.
France is our great and reliable west economic partner and ally. Because of its tradition and potential, the Czech Republic became for French firm a gate to further penetration into the Central European and East European space.
I believe that this mutual partnership will be strengthened during our common presidency to the EU Council. The project "French-Czech Economic Year" which will be implemented at that time will be realized under my auspices.
I think it will be great opportunity for strengthening our economic relationships, for exchange economic missions between regions. The French-Czech Year will open door and the door will remain open. All that will certainly contribute to our trade.
I would also like to inform you that the Czech government adopted the first package of economic reforms. It contains number of measures, which will facilitate and improve atmosphere for enterprise of SMEs, starting from financial stability and cutting taxes up to simplification of administration. We will continue in institutional reform – projects are prepared to improve legal sphere and performance of the state administration. Steps which are ahead of us will make the labour market more flexible, we will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy. We are creating better conditions for science and research. We have three operational programmes – Research and Development for Innovations, Enterprise and Innovation and Education for Competitiveness.
We want to eliminate unnecessary regulations and barriers in business. Also about this issue I want to talk with the President Sarkozy. The motto of our future presidency to the EU Council is "Europe without Barriers". Consistent exercise of four union freedoms will help SMEs, which do not have so many possibilities to overcome or to get around existing barriers, as the big companies have. SMEs have a specific position in the framework of revised Lisbon Strategy. The European Union puts great emphasis on deregulation of the business potential, on investments in research and development. We will certainly follow this direction. We will further improve entrepreneurial sphere and we will eliminate unnecessary barriers.
After all those changes the Czech Republic will become a country which will offer even better prospect, it will become even more approachable place for business, enterprise and investments, than it is nowadays. Of course, I believe that it will be applicable for you, too. I hope the cooperation of SMEs of both our countries is improved in the future. I think there are still some opportunities here. I warmly invite you to the Czech Republic.