Trade with Sweden

Overall the Czech Republic is the 30th most important export market for Sweden (0,6% of total export) and the 20th most important import market (0,9% of total import).
  
During 2005 the Swedish export to the Czech Republic amounted to 5,4 billion SEK. It was an increase by 10 % from 2004. Products from the engineering industry stand for a third of the export. Other important products are iron & steel and chemical products, both accounting for about 16% each and pulp and paper (about 9% of the export).

During 2005 the Swedish import from Czech Republic amounted to 7,8 billion SEK which is an increase by 75% compared to 2004. Engineering products dominates with 70% of the total export value. This category includes machines and tools (41%) .

According to the Czech national bank about 660 MEuros have been invested in the Czech Republic since 1993 by Swedish companies.

Many of the larger Swedish companies are represented in the Czech Republic and more than 17 000 people are employed by companies such as Skanska, ABB, FAB, IKEA, ESAB Vamberk, StoraEnso, Sandvik Chomutov, Scania, Volvo, Lindab and Backer Elektro.

JAS 39 Gripen

The Czech Republic has signed a leasing agreement for 14 Swedish Gripen jet fighter airplanes during the ten year period 2005-2015. During this period military pilots and technicians from the Swedish air force will be posted in the Czech Republic to support the Czech air force. The leasing agreement is worth approximately 20 billion Czech crowns (about 700 million Euros).   

In connection with the leasing agreement an offset agreement (Gripen offset programme) was negotiated between Gripen International and the Czech Ministry for Industry and Trade. The offset obligation is 130% of the lease payments for the Gripen aircrafts. The offset obligation is met through individual offset transactions including value generated by investments in the Czech Republic or export contracts awarded to Czech companies. The Czech Ministry of Defence approves individual offset projects and the offset obligation in its entirety. The first Gripen offset report already showed a cumulative value of 4,2 billion Czech crowns representing 16,5% of the total offset obligation which is well ahead of schedule.