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AmCham Board of Directors’ Assessment of the Economic Impact of Covid19 - October
This assessment is intended to assist members in their short and long-term planning by providing the outcome of discussions among board members. The board has been holding regular assessment sessions to share and discuss the impact within their industry and among their clients, customers and partners. These exchanges have been informed by research and input from our committees. This document is a working document which will be updated regularly, and all comments and suggestions are welcome. The document is divided into five sections: 1) duration of the crisis, 2) economic impact, 3) transformative effect, 4) effectiveness of government measures, and 5) business priorities.
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Open Letter of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: To Our Nation’s Elected Leaders: Americans Hired You. It’s Time to Do the Job.
An Open Letter to the President, Vice President, and Congressional Leaders
At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, we know one of the most powerful and life-changing phrases is, “You got the job.” For countless Americans, that sentence holds the promise of a new start, a new chapter, and a new pathway to the American Dream. And it represents the opportunity that businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovators breathe into communities across the nation every single day.
Global economy watch: Predictions for 2021
From the great lockdown to the great rebound
Projecting what the future holds is an important exercise for business and governments looking to plan ahead. In our first edition of 2021, we look ahead to the trends we expect to come to the fore in the global economy in the year to come.
Prague Airport Handles Nearly 3.7 Million Passengers in 2020 and Is Ready for 2021 Traffic Enhancement
Throughout the course of 2020, a total of 3,665,871 passengers passed through the gates of Václav Havel Airport Prague. The operation of the airport was unprecedented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the related restrictions on travel and the worldwide decline in demand for flying. As a result, 79% fewer passengers were handled in Prague compared to 2019. In January and February 2020, there were direct flights serviced from Prague to a total of 111 destinations around the world. In the following months, the offer was limited and continued changing based on the epidemiological situation. Passengers were offered flights to up to 87 destinations on an ongoing basis. Last year, the routes to the United Kingdom were, traditionally, the most popular, with the greatest number of passengers flying to/from London. The airport is ready to resume its operations this year and continues to focus to the measures aimed at protecting the health of both passengers and airport employees.
Opening a EUR 2m fund for digital inclusion today: Google.org Impact Challenge CEE
It is my pleasure to inform you that the first-ever Google.org Impact Challenge dedicated to Central and Eastern Europe (which will distribute €2 million in grants) has opened for applications in the Czech Republic today as well.
EUR272.5m in fines imposed by European regulators under GDPR - Survey by international law firm DLA Piper
- EUR158.5 million of fines imposed since 28 January 2020, a 39% increase on the previous 20 month period since the application of GDPR
- Double digit growth for breach notifications for the second year running with 121,165 breaches notified since 28 January 2020 compared to 101,403 breaches notified in the previous year – a 19% increase
- Per capita Denmark tops the rankings for data breach notifications
- Italy has imposed the highest aggregate fines with France imposing the highest individual fine to date
- Regulators have not had everything their own way this year with several multi-million euro fines being successfully appealed or significantly reduced
Strategic Directions for Czech Economic Policy
- 1) Transition to High-Tech Manufacturing
- 2) The City Campus as Idea Factory
- 3) Government Programs That Drive Innovation
- 4) Government as a Competitive Advantage
Advocacy Priorities for 2020-2022
People, Technology, Infrastructure, Cities, Government
2020 Actions Recommended in Areas:
1. Immigration.
2. Adult (post-graduate) Education and Training.
3. Programming as the Required Language.
4. Private Research Investment.
5. Housing Plan.
6. Establishing Policy Objectives for Research.
7. Establishing Databases for Tracking Public Policy Outcomes.
8. Public Procurement as an Innovation Tool.
9. A Government Competitiveness Scorecard.
Policy pipeline
In Policy Pipeline policy developments in the Czech Republic and abroad are monitored to bring better understanding of current topics and trends.
