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EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure CZ-2020-10/1514 – measures in Czechia

3D printers against the COVID-19 pandemic

3D tiskárny proti pandemii COVID-19

Country Czechia , applies eu-wide (or beyond)
Time period Temporary, 01 March 2020 – 31 October 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Company practices
Category Reorientation of business activities
– Change of production/Innovation
Author Aleš Kroupa (Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs)
Measure added 30 November 2020 (updated 29 January 2021)

Background information

In the first wave of the pandemic, when there was a critical shortage of medical supplies and aids, private companies that did not have the production of it in the production program also helped to secure them. One such company was Czech Prusa Research , a company producing 3D printers and other accessories.

Content of measure

Following an agreement and abbreviated homologation from the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (Ministerstvo zdravotnictví České republiky, MZ ČR ), this company began producing coronavirus shields on its printers which have been supplied free of charge to medical facilities, social services facilities, and components of the Czech rescue system. The shields serve as protection against drops and spraying. The company has also released an open source model of shields that can be printed by companies around the world.

The company also takes exemplary care of its employees. Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has introduced protective measures, including the provision of protective equipment. Once a month, each employee can get tested for COVID-19 for free. The company also fully reimburses its employees for 15 days of illness.

Use of measure

The company was able to produce 2,000 pieces a day, produced a total of them in the period from March to October 2020 and delivered about 250,000 for the amount of about CZK 8,000,000 (€296,296), which 1/3 was roughly covered by funds obtained from the public collection.

Contents

  • Work organisation

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Applies to all businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Company / Companies
Companies
Other

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

Social partners weren´t involved.

Views and reactions

Social partners weren´t involved.

Sectors and occupations

    • Economic area Sector (NACE level 2)
      C - Manufacturing C26 Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products
      O - Public Administration And Defence; Compulsory Social Security O84 Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
      Q - Human Health And Social Work Activities Q86 Human health activities

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), 3D printers against the COVID-19 pandemic, measure CZ-2020-10/1514 (measures in Czechia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/CZ-2020-10_1514.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.