Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic

The Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic (Czech: Elektrotechnická asociace České republiky, abbreviated ElA) is a non-state, non-profit employers' and business association based in Prague, Czech Republic. It was established in January 1992 as an economically and legally independent employers' and entrepreneurial union, and it brings together legal entities and natural persons active in the electronics and electrical engineering industry, medical technology, information services, and other business entities with related production or commercial interests. The association defends employers' interests on the principles of entrepreneurial democracy and functions as a lobbying platform for its members vis-à-vis state authorities and in the area of employer-employee relations. To that end it maintains direct contacts with representatives of the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO ČR), the Ministry of Finance (MF ČR), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT ČR), and similar bodies. The association traces its organizational roots to the late 19th and early 20th century, when Czech electrical entrepreneurs such as Ing. Křižík and Ing. Kolben began to associate, first in the Association of Czech Electrotechnicians (Spolek českých elektrotechniků) and, after the founding of Czechoslovakia, in the Electrotechnical Union (Elektrotechnický svaz). This union activity was abolished in the 1950s and was only renewed in 1990, when electrical industry organizations first founded an electrotechnical section of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, and then, on 15 January 1992, the economically and legally independent Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association (Českomoravská elektrotechnická asociace). On 20 November 2015 the general assembly decided to change the name to the Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic. Beyond advocacy, ElA has engaged in subsidiary commercial and environmental projects. On 11 May 2005 the Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association founded the subsidiary RETELA s.r.o., focused on the take-back of electrical waste; its collective system aimed to protect the environment and human health through an efficient system of collection and recycling of electrical waste, with RETELA assuming manufacturers' obligations for separate collection, take-back, processing, recovery, and disposal of electrical equipment and waste. In 2018 the association sold its 100% stake in RETELA s.r.o.; the starting impulse was the position of the Czech Ministry of the Environment, which in draft legislation on end-of-life products did not allow associations of ElA's type to own a collective system. Several bidders took part in the selection procedure, and the non-profit company ASEKOL, in which manufacturers of electrical equipment such as Samsung, LG, and Panasonic hold stakes, won. In May 2019 ElA founded the subsidiary ELA Blockchain Services a.s. to strengthen trust between business partners through a blockchain project for industrial use, developed with experts from IBM and ČVUT; only vetted firms or institutions permitted by the system administrator and the subsidiary joint-stock company may operate the servers storing the database and verifying records. The association is led by a president and a director. Presidents have included Ing. Jiří Skála (first president, June 1990 – May 1991), Ing. Ivan Kordač (May 1991 – October 1991), Ing. Pavel Prior (October 1991 – November 1992), Ing. Josef Hybš, CSc. (November 1992 – May 2003), Ing. Stanislav Adamec (May 2003 – November 2015), and Ing. Jiří Holoubek (November 2015 – present), chairman of the board of ELCOM, a.s. and a board member of the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic. Directors have been Ing. František Hýbner (June 1990 – November 2015) and Ing. Jan Prokš, Ph.D. (November 2015 – present).

The tradition of associating electrical engineering enterprises in the Czech lands is long-standing. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, entrepreneurs including Ing. Křižík and Ing. Kolben began to organize, initially in the Association of Czech Electrotechnicians (Spolek českých elektrotechniků) and, after the establishment of Czechoslovakia, in the Electrotechnical Union (Elektrotechnický svaz). This union activity was abolished in the 1950s and was not renewed until 1990, when organizations of the electrical engineering industry first founded an electrotechnical section of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic. On 15 January 1992, the economically and legally independent Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association (Českomoravská elektrotechnická asociace) was established. The official website states that the Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic (ElA) was founded in January 1992 as an economically and legally independent employers' and entrepreneurial union. On 11 May 2005, the Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association founded the subsidiary RETELA s.r.o., focused on the take-back of electrical waste. The main purpose of the RETELA collective system was to protect the environment and human health by ensuring an efficient system for the collection and recycling of electrical waste. On behalf of manufacturers, RETELA paid obligations relating to separate collection, take-back, processing, recovery, and disposal of electrical equipment and electrical waste. On 20 November 2015, the general assembly of the Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association decided to change the name to the Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic. In 2018, the association sold its 100% stake in RETELA s.r.o. The starting impulse was the position of the Czech Ministry of the Environment, which in the draft of the new law on end-of-life products did not allow associations of ElA's type to own a collective system, as explained by its managing director Jaroslav Vladík. There were several interested buyers in the selection procedure; the winner was the non-profit company ASEKOL, in which manufacturers of electrical equipment such as Samsung, LG, and Panasonic hold stakes. In May 2019, the Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic founded the subsidiary ELA Blockchain Services a.s. to strengthen trust between business partners through a blockchain project for use in industry. Experts from IBM and ČVUT participated in the development. Only vetted firms or institutions permitted by the system administrator and the association's subsidiary joint-stock company may operate the servers on which the database is stored and records are verified. The association's leadership has evolved over time. Presidents have included Ing. Jiří Skála (first president, June 1990 – May 1991), Ing. Ivan Kordač (May 1991 – October 1991), Ing. Pavel Prior (October 1991 – November 1992), Ing. Josef Hybš, CSc. (November 1992 – May 2003), Ing. Stanislav Adamec (May 2003 – November 2015), and Ing. Jiří Holoubek (November 2015 – present). Directors have been Ing. František Hýbner (June 1990 – November 2015) and Ing. Jan Prokš, Ph.D. (November 2015 – present).

• Ing. Jiří Skála becomes the first president of the renewed association (June 1990 – May 1991).

• Union activity is renewed; electrical industry organizations first found an electrotechnical section of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic.

• The economically and legally independent Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association (Českomoravská elektrotechnická asociace) is established.

• Ing. Josef Hybš, CSc. becomes president (November 1992 – May 2003).

• Ing. Stanislav Adamec becomes president (May 2003 – November 2015).

• The Czech-Moravian Electrotechnical Association founds the subsidiary RETELA s.r.o., focused on the take-back of electrical waste.

• The general assembly decides to change the name to the Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic.

• Ing. Jiří Holoubek becomes president and Ing. Jan Prokš, Ph.D. becomes director (both November 2015 – present).

• The association sells its 100% stake in RETELA s.r.o.; the non-profit company ASEKOL wins the selection procedure.

• ElA founds the subsidiary ELA Blockchain Services a.s. for a blockchain project for industrial use, developed with experts from IBM and ČVUT.

Non-state, non-profit employers' and business association representing and lobbying for the Czech electrical and electronics industry.

• Membership and lobbying for the electrical and electronics industry

  The association brings together legal entities and natural persons in the electronics and electrical engineering industry, medical technology, information services, and related business entities, and lobbies on their behalf at state authorities and in employer-employee relations.

• RETELA s.r.o. (2005–2018)

  A subsidiary founded on 11 May 2005 for the take-back of electrical waste; its collective system ensured collection and recycling of electrical waste and assumed manufacturers' obligations. Sold in 2018 to ASEKOL.

• ELA Blockchain Services a.s.

  A subsidiary founded in May 2019 to strengthen trust between business partners through a blockchain project for industrial use, developed with experts from IBM and ČVUT.

1. 1Hlavní stránka | Elektrotechnická asociace České republikyelectroindustry.cz
2. 2Electrotechnical Association of the Czech Republic – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Elektrotechnická asociace České republiky – Wikipedia (Czech)cs.wikipedia.org