Minister Greg Hands visited Prague
British Minister for International Trade Greg Hands has visited the Czech Republic to build yet closer links between the two nations.
This was the first visit to the country by a UK trade minister since the Department for International Trade was created a year ago.
However, this has not been the first visit by Mr Hands to the Czech Republic, having studied the Czech language at Cambridge and the Universita Karlova, been Chairman of the UK Parliamentary Czech & Slovak Group, and having been a school governor at the Anglické Gymnasium in Prague, 2009-2014. He met Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Vladimír Bártl, Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová and representatives of major UK and Czech companies.
Minister Hands said:
The Czech Republic and UK have a lot in common; I know from over 20 visits to the Czech Republic since 1986 that we have been friends and allies for generations, and we share around 200 billion Kč in annual trade.
UK businesses offer Czech customers world-leading expertise in anything from telecoms to aerospace. I look forward to meeting business leaders from both our countries, like Vodafone and Škoda Auto, which work here in the Czech Republic.
Minister Hands also met Mayor Krnáčová do discuss Prague’s Smart City strategy.
Minister concluded:
This is one of many opportunities for British companies to provide advice and services to improve everyday life in the Czech Republic - using UK technology and expertise to help make cities like Prague safer and more environmentally friendly places to live.
The UK provides expertise in urban design, planning and architecture, infrastructure, engineering and construction, data and software.
In Prague, Minister Hands has also met representatives of Vodafone, Czech Confederation of Trade, Škoda Auto, Penta, HSBC, Hamleys, T.M. Lewin, Barker Shoes, Barbour, Karen Millen, Rolls Royce Cars, among others.