Support for Industry 4.0 in the conceptual and programme documents of the Czech Republic

The article deals with the concepts of Industry 4.0 and smart specializations, which have significant potential to modernize the Czech industrial, research policy and partially influence the regional ones. It examines the theoretical background, the political framework and the way of implementation. It analyzes how these concepts were reflected in the Czech Republic's research, development and innovation planning documents, such as the National Policy for Research, Development and Innovation, and the National R & D Strategy for Smart Specialization (S3). By adopting them, the Czech Republic was among the countries that want to actively influence the structure of the economy, especially industry, using key enable technologies (KET) and creating a national / regional thematic specialized ecosystem of research, development and innovation institutions. It is to support applied research and to set up close cooperation between innovating enterprises and research capacities. A key national tool for their support is the Trio program of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. With a view to starting the implementation of the program in 2016, preliminary findings on outputs and outcomes are available on the basis of information from financial and material control of projects. From the material point of view, the obligations arising from the concluded contract are fulfilled, the initial stages of the implementation of the projects continue well. During the financial control, there are repeated shortcomings due to the poor quality of the internal control mechanism and the deficiencies in the internal document governing project and financial management.