Contributor(s): RNDr Petr Nečas | In this lecture by Petr Nečas, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, he will examine how amidst a severe economic crisis, Europe is looking for solutions to restore growth and create jobs. Several fresh concepts and innovative initiatives have recently been put on the table while the potential of the Single Market – a key tool and a well-proven instrument to get the Union back on track – remains unexploited. Petr Nečas became Prime Minister of the Czech Republic after the General Election in 2010. Mr Nečas was sworn by the President in July 2010 and his Government gained vote of confidence by the Parliament in August 2010. Petr Nečas leads the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Prime Minister Nečas was born on November 19, 1964, in Uherské Hradiště, the Czech Republic. He was educated at the Faculty of Science of the University of J. E. Purkyně in Brno, where he received a post-gradual degree in Natural Sciences in 1988, with Plasma Physics being a topic of his thesis. Before becoming the Member of the Czech Parliament, Mr. Nečas worked as a production engineer and researcher. As a Member of the Parliament since 1992, Petr Nečas held a number of positions in the Committees focused on NATO, defence issues and European Union. Namely, Chairman of Defense and Security Committee, Deputy Chairman on the Joint Committee of the European Parliament and the Czech Parliament, Deputy Chairman on the European Affairs Committee. Prior to becoming the Prime Minister, Petr Nečas served as a Minister of Labor and Social Affairs and a Deputy Prime Minister during 2006 – 2009 and the First Deputy Minister of Defense during 1995 – 1996.