Business round-up this week: Government approves CETA agreement between EU and Canada; Škoda records best ever monthly worldwide sales in September; Solana Neratovice tops Czech polluters ranking; Budget Committee approves state budget proposal.
Government approves CETA agreement between EU and Canada
The government on Wednesday approved the comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, a free-trade agreement between the EU and Canada, the government spokesman Martin Ayrer said on his Twitter account. CETA could be signed and ratified on October 27 at the EU-Canada summit. The sectors that could benefit most from the CETA agreement in the Czech Republic are engineering, metallurgy and the chemical industry.
Škoda recorded best ever monthly worldwide sales in September
Škoda Octavia, photo: Škoda Auto
The country’s biggest car maker Škoda Auto has recorded its best ever monthly worldwide sales in September, the company announced on Wednesday in a press release. The carmaker sold 107,100 cars and recorded a year-on-year increase by 14.4 percent. Sales have increased both on the European market as well as in China. Škoda Octavia remains the best-selling model, with nearly 50,000 models sold in September.
Arnika: Spolana Neratovice again tops Czech polluters ranking
Spolana, photo: Czech Radio - Radio Prague
The Spolana chemical plant in Neratovice in central Bohemia tops the rankings of the biggest Czech polluters in 2015, presented by the environmental association Arnika on Wednesday. According to Arnika, the quantity of carcinogenic substances released by plants decreased year-on-year for a second time in a row, but the quantity of substances harming the ozone layer of the Earth and dioxins has increased. Other large polluters include Kovohutě Holding DZ and the Peter GFK laminate producer. Most polluters are located in the Moravia-Silesia, north Bohemia and Vysočina regions.
Parliament’s Budget Committee approves state budget proposal for 2017
Photo: Miroslav Zimmer, Czech Radio
Parliament’s Budget Committee has recommended the lower house approve the basic parameters of the state budget proposal for 2017. The budget put forward by the finance minister Andrej Babiš and approved by the government is counting on a 60 billion crown deficit. The committee turned down a proposal by TOP 09 leader Miroslav Kalousek who appealed for the proposal to be sent back to the government for changes; he said the government needed to slash spending next year by an additional 30 billion crowns or more.
Huge outlet centre to open near Prague airport in 2017
Photo: Neinver
A huge outlet retail centre is set to open near Prague’s Václav Havel Airport in autumn next year. Named Prague The Style Outlets, the centre will feature 190 shops on an area of 30,000 square metres, according to a news release on Tuesday from its backers, the companies Neinver and The Prague Outlet. The outlet centre, which will cost over one billion crowns to complete, will be the third facility of its kind in the Czech Republic.
