OECD published The Future of Productivity book. "Productivity diffusion is especially challenging in the services sector, partly due to low competitive pressures which blunt the incentives to adopt best practices. This partly reflects policy weaknesses and productivity problems in the services sector will become increasingly costly for two reasons. First, the weight of services in our economies will continue to rise. Second, it may hinder the effective functioning of global value chains since logistics, finance and communication are the oil that greases the wheels of globalisation." Also, the report states that "even though the most advanced firms can have productivity levels close to the global frontier, their aggregate impact is muted to the extent that they are under-sized."

Euractiv.cz article, reporting on the result of conference Trade for All Strategy: Gate to new markets?,  says EU's economic growth will be increasingly dependent on foreign investment and trade with third countries. In October 2015, the European Commission  a new trade and investment strategy that includes commitment to increase transparency of negotiations and add chapters on sustainable development and fight against corruption in future free trade agreements. Both the Czech Government / Ministry of Industry and Trade and the business sector welcome the new strategy, but... 

Representatives of the Czech Government, businesses and labor unions met today to discuss priorities within the Action plan to promote economic growth and employment in 2016...The emphasis will be placed on the implementation of the public procurement and construction acts, or employment issues such as talent/skills gap... 

An interview with Róża Thun, MEP, during the 2015 EuroPhilantopics. EuroPhilantopics is the annual event for foundations and EU institutions to come together and consider the challenges facing people and communities in the next 5-10 years. This year's theme was trust and how it can be levered to pave the way to a fairer society.