13th June 2019

Czech Legislation Update May/June 2019

From the sessions of the Chamber of Deputies

The so-called Digital Constitution draft (the Act on the Right to Provision of Digital Services, bill no. 447), proposing the process towards digital public administration, had its first reading in the Chamber of Deputies. Chamber Committees will review the proposal. More. Earlier, the Government expressed comments and proposed changes to the bill.

Draft amendment to the Act on Support of Research, Experimental Development and Innovations (bill no. 485) had its first reading. The bill is suggesting evaluation of research organizations as units rather than individual results of the research organizations. The proposal also suggests the introduction of evidence of results of large research infrastructures and records of international cooperation projects in research, development and innovation, financed from foreign sources. It also promotes the introduction of the institute of “projects of shared activities”. Chamber Committees will review the proposal.

The Chamber of Deputies passed the Act on Investment Incentives (bill no. 298). State support should be provided primarily to projects with high value added and selected regions. The bill is heading to the Upper Chamber – the Senate. More.

Draft amendment to the Construction Act (bill no. 279) is in the pipeline to be debated by the Chamber of Deputies. The aim of the bill is to abolish the institute of the binding opinion of the land planning authority. Furthermore, the aim is to establish jurisdiction of a municipal building authority to assess whether the intention is in line with the urban development policy objectives, plans and tasks, the land use planning documentation and other aspects. Another draft amendment to the Constructoin Act is bill no. 383. The Government has already expressed disagreement with both proposals mentioned above. Another proposal (bill no. 484) promotes the institute of electronic site diary. The current Construction Act has seen over 20 amendments so far and a material intent of a new Construction Act (i.e. a recodification of the Czech construction law) was drafted by the Ministry for Regional Development.

In July 2018, the Government passed draft amendment to the Act on Collection of Acts, including measures to complete the projects of e-Collection of Acts and International Treaties and e-Legislation. Change proposals were submitted (bill no. 256).

In March, the Chamber of Deputies passed draft amendment to the Act on Free Access to Information (bill no. 50) suggesting that state-controlled institutions, including state-owned companies should dislose information (according to Act no. 106/1999) and contracts within the registry of contracts. The Senate returned the bill to the Chamber of Deputies with change proposals.

The Government passed in June 2018 draft amendment to the Act on Residence of Foreigners in the Territory of the Czech Republic, a transposition of EU legislation related to residence of third countries nationals for the purpose of research and development, studying, internships, volunteering, exchange and au-pair programs. The bill (no. 203)‚ deals with the issues of, among others, quotas for economic migration, employee cards, and employee visas for specific situations in the Czech labour market. Besides EU measures, the bill includes measures proposed by the Ministry of the Interior. The Chamber of Deputies passed the bill on 13 March. The Senate returned the bill to the Chamber of Deputies with change proposals.

The Chamber of Deputies has been reviewing legislation related to the mandatory electronic prescription system - the patient's medical record. Physicians and pharmacists should be able to consult healthcare services (upon the patient's consent) on prescribed medical products. The bill also establishes the eRecept information system. The bill no. 302 had its second reading in the Chamber of Deputies and change proposals were submitted. Also, draft amendment to the Act on Sickness Insurance proposes obligation of electronic record of inability to work ("PN"). The bill is being reviewed by the Chamber committees.  

 


 

From the sessions of the Government

On 20 May, the Government passed a program of applied reserach in the areas where armed forces within NATO and EU have achieved significant results. The Government also approved state funding of research, development and innovations for 2020 with mid-term outlook for 2021-22 and long-term outlook for 2026.

On 27 May, the Government passed a proposal to strengthen the position of school head masters as managers and strengthen the participation of professionals from industries in the educational process at vocational schools (bill no. 503). 

On 3 June, the Government approved fixed date (set for Friday and Saturday of the first full week in October) for Senate, regional and municipal elections. More

At the same session, the Government decided that Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Lvov will accept higher number (40,000 from current 19,600) of applications for Employee Cards from qualified workers in Ukraine.

Members of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic