Prague, July 11 (CTK) – Digital and industrial technologies, the environment and transport means for the 21st century were singled out as important for the Czech economy by the government on Monday, Adela Klimesova, spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister for Research Pavel Belobradek, has said.
The priorities are included in an updated National Strategy of Intelligent Specialisation presented by Belobradek. It counts with 70 billion crowns from European, national, regional and private sources to be spent on them in the years ahead.
The document is a preliminary condition for drawing European funds. It is yet to be approved by the European Commission.
Belobradek says the strategy will contribute to a better cooperation between the private sector and firms. The document also focuses on promotion of private investments in science and applied research.
Belobradek said fields on which focus will be placed also include electronics, advanced machinery, health care, advanced medicine, cultural and creative industries, agriculture and social challenges.
Collin Wolfe, from the Directorate General for Regional Policy of the European Commission, said in Prague in the spring that the Czech Republic must improve cooperation between research and innovations on the one side and industry and business on the other.
Some 88 billion crowns are invested in research and development in the Czech Republic annually, while the investments by the private sector account for more than a half.
Cooperation between public and private research is low, however. Experts estimate it at 1.5 to two billion crowns.
Recently, the government agreed to raise state spending on science by 3.75 billion crowns in 2017 compared with this year, while applied research is a priority.
