European Commission has approved the Business and Innovations for Competitiveness (OP PIK) operational programme. Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek (ČSSD) stated that the ministry will open 11 calls with the total allocation of CZK 17.35bn in the first wave. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will accept first applications for subsidies from June. The biggest allocation, CZK 5bn, was given to the Energy Savings call. Further almost CZK 11bn will head into research and development for innovations and development of small and medium enterprises.