Energy Security Deal: Poland’s Orlen signed a three-year crude supply agreement with Equinor for Johan Sverdrup oil, starting in September with contracted volumes above 9 million tonnes per year and covering up to a quarter of Orlen’s annual crude needs for refineries in Poland, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Industrial Logistics: Sallaum Lines launched Sallaum Logistics, a dedicated European automotive road-transport arm to move finished vehicles from ports and hubs to dealerships with one accountable provider across sea-to-road chains. Pharma Supply Chain Automation: Brightpick will add 44 Autopicker robots at Dr. Max Group’s Czech and Slovak distribution centers, taking the total to 74 deployed AMRs after successful scaling in Prague. Workforce & Skills: Czech National Bank data shows foreign workers rose to about 22% of employees by end-2025 (nearly tripling since 2015), with the biggest presence in manufacturing, construction, retail, transport and hospitality. Infrastructure & Power: Bentley Systems named Saudi consultancy Dar International as a finalist for its 2026 Year in Infrastructure Awards for a 380kV substation project, highlighting the growing use of connected digital workflows. Urban Development: Prague 8 picked a winning design to connect the Ládví cultural centre with new public spaces, greenery and a shared platform for markets and events. Czech Tech in the Spotlight: A Czech-made BESS (battery energy storage system) is reported to have entered service at Lipnice, reinforcing the country’s push into grid-scale storage. Aerospace & Defence R&D: Saab unveiled a stealthy drone concept (A3) aimed at operating alongside Gripen and future crewed systems for contested missions like electronic warfare and air-defence suppression. Agriculture Under Pressure: Czech agriculture faces major revenue losses this year due to heat and drought, with government action and funding being tested. Leisure With Local Industry Links: Prague’s riverside concrete plant is slated to become a community farm, turning industrial space into food production and education.