EIB President Nadia Calvino and Gabriela Mates, Head of EIB Group Office in the Czech Republic at GLOBSEC Forum in June
Text: Gabriela Mates; Photo: Archive
To secure its place in a changing world, Europe must become a stronger, more autonomous and competitive player. This requires deep institutional cooperation and a shared sense of strategic purpose.
The Czech Republic contributes actively to this vision. Prague hosts several key European institutions: the European Commission Representation, the European Parliament Liaison Office, the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group Office, and the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Together, we have initiated Team Europe Prague, which is a local platform designed to foster cooperation, share information about current initiatives, and identify opportunities for joint action. It reflects our core belief that when we work closely together we amplify the EU’s impact and build trust among citizens.
The official opening of Europa Experience in Prague in April
Each actor brings their own unique mission
The European Commission Representation ensures that EU policies are effectively implemented on the ground, while also feeding local perspectives into the Brussels policy-making process. The European Parliament Liaison Office promotes democratic engagement by connecting Czech citizens with their elected representatives. At the EIB Group, we provide financing and advisory for projects that support the EU’s strategic priorities, be it climate action, innovation, cohesion, or competitiveness. EUSPA plays a critical role in buttressing Europe’s space capabilities, ensuring the operational excellence and commercialization of flagship programmes such as Galileo and Copernicus.
The cooperation between the European Commission (EC) and the EIB Group at the EU, as well as at the local level, has always been very strong. The EC is represented on the EIB’s Board of Directors, and can provide feedback on every project submitted to the Board for approval. It is also one of the shareholders of the European Investment Fund. The European Parliament and the EIB Group are also very close partners.
How do we experience this cooperation in the Czech Republic?
Since last summer, the Prague offices of the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Investment Bank Group have finally come together under one roof at Palác Dunaj, which we now proudly call the European House. This consolidation brings significant benefits to all three institutions.
The institutional ecosystem in Prague is more than the sum of its parts, and our cooperation delivers tangible results. We organise or sponsor various events that help the EU and the Czech Republic achieve its ambitious goals in areas such as green transition, digitalisation and technological innovation, and security and defence. The regional roundtables “How can Europe better support the modernisation of the region?”, organised by the local European Parliament Office, are a very good example of our cooperation. The last regional roundtable that took place in Brno in April brought together representatives of our institutions and regional stakeholders to discuss how EU policies and funding can better address local needs. Topics ranged from cohesion policy and innovation to defence capabilities, climate resilience, and agricultural adaptation.
Another example of our effective collaboration is the partnership between the EIB and EUSPA. In 2022, the two institutions jointly published the first Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Investment Report, highlighting a €100 billion market potential for satellite-based services. The report identified key investment gaps and emphasised the need to mobilise both public and private capital. It also underscored the EIB’s readiness to finance companies working on GNSS technologies, infrastructure, and services that support Europe’s digital transformation and strategic autonomy. Demonstrably, local representations of EU institutions play an active role in shaping discussions at the local – as well as the EU – level, ensuring that EU policies respond effectively to the challenges of individual Member States.
Trust and confidence gain value
As security and defence move to the forefront of everyone’s political agenda, all EU institutions have been increasingly stepping up their efforts in this area, realising that institutional collaboration is now more important than ever. At critical junctures like these, it is trust that forms the foundation of any successful cooperation. As the EIB President Nadia Calviño aptly put it during her last visit to Prague: “When everything, everywhere, all at once, is changing, trust and confidence gain value.”
The Team Europe Prague: Monika Ladmanová, Head of the local EC Representation, Jindřich Pietras, Head of the local EPLO, Rodrigo da Costa, EUSPA Executive Director and Gabriela Mates, Head of EIB Group Office in the Czech Republic.
Recent global events remind us just how fragile even long-standing partnerships can be. The July pivotal meeting between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald Trump in Scotland, which resulted in a trade agreement that narrowly averted a catastrophic tariff conflict, illustrates this harsh reality. It was a positive outcome, but also a clear reminder that even the most established and trusted alliances can no longer be taken for granted.
Gabriela Mates, Head of EIB Group Office in the Czech Republic and Monika Ladmanová, Head of the local EC Representation
In this context, cooperation among EU institutions is not just a matter of internal organisation. It is a strategic necessity. By working together, we can enhance Europe’s credibility, resilience, and influence in the world.
Strength comes from within. Team Europe Prague is ready to contribute to this effort.
Gabriela Mates is the Head of the European Investment Bank Group Office in the Czech Republic. Prior to returning to the Czech Republic last September, she worked at the EIB Group in Luxembourg for ten years. During her time at the EIB, she was responsible for business origination across various products and geographies. She also oversaw the implementation of institutional mandates deployed by the EIB, such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments.