The Principles and Main Pillars of the Czech Cluster Policy

Abstract

The cluster concept anchorage within the Czech development policy with the cluster pilot study of the Moravian-Silesian Region and the following phase of the cluster policy, starting from structural-fund-based national programmes in 2004, was prepared by Magdalena Bialic-Davendra and Pavla Břusková (TBU). The introduction of the cluster topic came just about the time of the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union, which allowed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to incorporate the "CLUSTERS" Programme into the first Structural Fund programming period of 2004-2006. While this programme included financial support for both the mapping and development of a cluster, the next period's "COOPERATION Programme" of 2007–2013 supported only established cluster organizations.