According to the
survey of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (SP CR), up to
80% of companies do not have fixed energy prices for 2023. The Confederation of
Industry of the Czech Republic surveyed 114 industrial companies on questions
related to the energy crisis. The results are not very optimistic, and it turns
out that most companies do not even have a guaranteed contract for the next
year, 2023. Most of the companies that participated in the survey have fixed
gas prices for this year, roughly 2/3 of the companies, half of which have
roughly the same conditions as in 2021, and the other half have a fixation
several times higher. The remaining 1/3 are not yet significantly affected by
the electricity and gas prices increase. However, the biggest problem is
expected next year. For gas, according to the survey, only 22% of companies
have a price fix, and overall, companies confirmed that they have a big problem
with negotiating energy supply contracts for 2023.
Firms are responding
by trying to save as much energy as possible. Investing in energy savings is
one of the most common measures that firms are taking. There is also a big
problem for firms that cannot replace gas quickly due to technology, and more
than one-quarter of the firms surveyed are unable to reduce their gas
consumption. Many firms plan to invest in their photovoltaic power plants, more
than half plan to install more efficient lighting, and a quarter will upgrade
their heating system.
Jaroslav Hanák,
President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, points out, "Many companies have also been forced
to reflect the rising energy prices in their product prices, but only a small
number of companies have managed to do so in full. Almost half of the companies
reduced their planned investments due to high energy prices. However, this may
be a problem in the future, as firms may lose competitiveness by limiting
investment in their development". He then says that the government
needs to look rapidly for other options, and an extension of the Temporary
Crisis Framework aid for another year needs to be negotiated.
The Czech Chamber of
Commerce says the same, which appreciates the extension of the Crisis Framework
until the end of this year, but an extension for another year, 2023, needs to
be negotiated, which would have to be done before the end of the Czech
Presidency.
Prepared by foreign office CzechTrade Belgium
Source: SP.CR