The government approved CZK 80 million per year for internships of employees of the Czech state administration in the institutions of the European Union starting next year. The amount is CZK 20 million higher than the previous contribution.
According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, the Czech Republic has long lagged in this regard, resulting in lower representation in EU institutions. The country has a unique opportunity to use people with experience from the recent presidency of the EU.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hundreds of Czechs work in EU institutions. Nine years ago, 459 of them, or 1.9 percent, were in the European Commission alone, which is the largest body. However, the EU executive has set a target for the Czech Republic at 3.1 percent, and the current share is lower than in 2014, said diplomat Linda Messias in December.