On 17 June, the ECOFIN Council meeting in Luxembourg adopted the country-specific recommendations for 27 of the 28 EU countries (Greece is under macroeconomic adjustment program). The recommendations are part of the coordination process of economic policies. The Czech Republic was recommended to 1) address long-term fiscal sustainability, especially with regard to healthcare, 2) reduce regulatory burden to investment, promote e-government services and tackle corruption and 3) strengthen R&D governance, incentivize teaching professions, integrate Roma into ordinary school system and better integrate women into the labor market.

At the same meeting, the ministers discussed the anti-tax avoidance directive (to which the EP recently gave its opinion). Czech finance minister threatened to block it (it requires unanimity) unless EU tackles VAT fraud – e.g. by allowing Czech Republic to use “reverse charge” on more transactions.

For more, click here and here. 

Also, Council of the EU adopted country-specific recommendations published by the European Commission (European Semester) in May 2016. Details in Czech here and here.