Taxation change to benefit Czech science

Scientists in the Czech Republic are set to get an extra two billion CZK a year from the European Union, with the cancelling of value added tax duty due on chemicals used in EU-funded research, Hospodarske noviny reported. The change is part of an extensive reform package recently approved by the Chamber of Deputies. The tax had acted as something of a deterrent - the Czech Republic currently ranks 22nd in the union in terms of participation in EU scientific projects.