The President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, Vladimír Dlouhý, has been confirmed as the new President of Eurochambres for the rest of 2023. This follows the resignation of Luc Frieden after being named lead candidate of his political party in Luxembourg in the run-up to the general elections in October.
Vladimír Dlouhý has been a Deputy-President of Eurochambres since 2020. He also chairs the association’s Sustainability Committee, overseeing the European chamber network’s advocacy on key issues related to the Green Deal, Fit for55 and the response to the energy crisis.
As President of Eurochambres, Mr Dlouhý will advocate for enhanced European competitiveness. "We cannot just watch global growth happening outside the EU. Businesses need favourable and predictable framework conditions to operate in Europe and be internationally competitive,” said Mr Dlouhý. “My priority is to ensure that entrepreneurs hit by the energy crisis and other major challenges are able to innovate, invest, employ and trade to drive Europe’s recovery and sustainable growth", added Mr Dlouhý.
During Eurochambres General Assembly in Stockholm today, outgoing President Luc Frieden reviewed the main challenges and achievements since the start of his mandate in January 2022. Engaging with members on key priorities of the chamber network has been a cornerstone of his presidential tenure, marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis and rising inflation. Mr Frieden emphasised the crucial role of chambers in these difficult times. "With members' active commitment, I have strived to enable entrepreneurs to capitalise on the opportunities of the EU single market and trade agenda, and to guide businesses through the implementation of the twin transition.”
Vladimír Dlouhý is a Czech economist with business, academic and political experience. He served eight years in the government as the main leader of the Czech economic transformation. He was a Czechoslovak Minister of Economy until 1992 and then the Czech Minister of Industry and Trade. Between 2009 and 2012, he served in the European Advisory Group of the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. Currently, he is the President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce. Besides that, Mr Dlouhý advises large international companies, he is member of international think-tanks and of the National Economic Council of the Government of the Czech Republic.