On Monday, 12 January 2026, the Senate of the Czech Republic hosted a special gathering for companies and institutions that took part in foreign business missions organized over the past year with the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic. Nearly 200 representatives from business, diplomacy, and public institutions met at the historic Wallenstein Palace—reaffirming the key role of economic and scientific diplomacy in strengthening Czech exports and international partnerships.
The event was opened by:
Radek Špicar, Vice President of the Confederation of Industry
Miloš Vystrčil, President of the Senate
Tomio Okamura, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies
Petr Macinka, Minister of Foreign Affairs
A clear message was shared across all speeches: the Czech Republic is a highly export-oriented economy, and joint business + political missions remain an effective, proven tool for developing export potential. All speakers confirmed their continued support for foreign missions.
The discussion highlighted that business missions:
open doors to decision-makers and key partners
often result in new contracts and stronger export pipelines
build long-term trust and visibility for Czech solutions abroad
As Senate President Miloš Vystrčil underlined, supporting entrepreneurs during foreign trips is essential—because Czech economic growth depends heavily on exports, and feedback from companies has repeatedly confirmed the strong impact of these missions.
We are proud that Michaela Macharik was invited to the event as:
the official representative of the Czech-Ukrainian Chamber of Industry & Commerce, and
a business owner who has participated in almost all business missions to Ukraine.
Her presence reflected the importance of continuity and long-term engagement in Ukraine—where business cooperation is closely linked to resilience, recovery, and future reconstruction opportunities.
The Confederation of Industry announced upcoming missions, including:
Argentina and Chile (planned for April)
United Arab Emirates
and ongoing discussions on the Philippines, Indonesia, and the United States
Speakers also noted that Latin America may become increasingly attractive for European exporters, especially with potential progress on trade frameworks such as the EU–Mercosur agreement.
A big thank you to the Svaz průmyslu a dopravy ČR / Confederation of Industry CZ for organizing these missions—not only globally, but also to Ukraine—and for the invitation to this meeting.
It was great to speak with participants of the Ukraine missions about their successes, practical experiences, and the value of continued economic engagement in the region.
"🇨🇿 The Czech Senate welcomed participants of business missions at Wallenstein Palace"
