At its session on 9 May, the Government also approved a proposal of the Ministry of Interior of Code of Ethics for public officials and public administration employees (Etický kodex úředníků a zaměstnanců veřejné správy). The aim of the Codex is to decrease possibilities of corruption. The text enumerates situations of conflicts of interest and explains how civil servants should behave in such cases. The Codex also emphasizes characteristic features of a servant (professionalism, efficiency, impartiality, loyalty, etc). The Codex also regulates the process of whistleblowing and encourages servants to announce corruption acting. However, some NGOs (Transparency International, Ekologický právní servis) claim that the Codex does not regulate the process effectively; a servant should inform a supervisor in case of corruption first instead of contacting an investigation authority.
The Codex is rather non-binding; any trespassing against the Codex should be treated according to the employment contract and to contract-based duties. The Ministry’s intention is that each public authority should prepare its own text in accordance with the Codex.  

The text of the Codex available here (Ministry of Interior sites)
For further information regarding the Codex, click here (Government) and here (Transparency International).  

On 9 May, the Government passed a governmental directive that regulates public support and incentives in cohesion regions of the Czech Republic proposed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The directive is based on the Act on Invest Incentives (Zákon o investičních pobídkách) that was passed by the Chamber of Deputies on 21 March; the Act will come into force after the President’s signature (put forward on 3 May). According to the Act, the governmental directive is necessary for further process of granting public incentives in the cohesion regions. The directive stipulates a degree of the public support with respect to the value of investment projects (up to 75 per cent of the value of the respective project). In addition, the directive expands an array of projects that could be supported. An additional aim of the directive is to attract ´high-tech´ and high value-added projects to the regions; the ´high-tech´ projects are even supported by higher degree of incentive. High-tech and higher valued added projects are evaluated according to the OECD classification. 

For further information regarding the directive, click here (source: explanatory report).
For further information regarding the Act on Invest Incentives including the term of coming into force, click here.

The Chamber of Deputies passed a governmental proposal of the Act on Control (Zákon o kontrole, kontrolní řád) at the third reading on 9 May. Currently, a process of control may be conducted by more public authorities; however, the process of control is not stipulated by law. The Bill aims at unification of the process of control mechanism at public service. In fact, the Bill stipulates a control process that should be followed by any control organs. Except for unification, the Code stipulates an efficient and transparent process. The Bill applies to any public officials at the central level as well as the regional and municipal level; furthermore, controls of activities of professional association should be conducted according to the Bill as well.
The Act should come into force on 1 January 2014. The Senate has not set the term of the follow up with the Bill.

For further information regarding the Bill, click here.
Source: proposal of the Bill and explanatory report (Chamber of Deputies sites).

The Ministry of Regional Development announced a legislative intent of the directive applying to construction contracts. The directive stems from the Act on Public Contracts (having come into force on 1 April). The directive specifies conditions under which the public officials announce contracts. The directive stipulates an unified framework of condition that could be applied during a contract announcement and a granting process. The directive should improve the process of announcement and strengthen the position of the contractor. The directive has been discussed among state authorities; the directive is heading to the Legislative Council of the Government.

For further information, click here (explanatory report).