COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review Country Report - CZECH REPUBLIC Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The EU Environmental Implementation Review: Common Challenges and how to combine efforts to deliver better results
Date: 2017-02-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, EU environmental policy, EU initiative, application of EU law, environmental law, environmental protection, pollution control measures

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 3.2.2017  SWD(2017) 37 final   COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review Country Report - CZECH REPUBLIC   Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The EU Environmental Implementation Review: Common Challenges and how to combine efforts to deliver better results   {COM(2017) 63 final} {SWD(2017) 33 - 36 final} {SWD(2017) 38 - 60 final}  
 
 
Czech Republic  2 

This  report  has  been  written  by  the  staff  of  the  Directorate-General  for  Environment,  European 
Commission. Any comments are welcome to the following e-mail address: ENV-EIR@ec.europa.eu  

More information on the European Union is available on the internet (http://europa.eu). 

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Czech Republic  3 

Table of Content 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 4 

PART I: THEMATIC AREAS ............................................................................................................................... 5 

1. 

TURNING  THE  EU  INTO  A  CIRCULAR,  RESOURCE-EFFICIENT,  GREEN  AND  COMPETITIVE  LOW-
CARBON ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................... 5 

Developing a circular economy and improving resource efficiency ..................................................... 5 
Waste management .............................................................................................................................. 6 

2. 

PROTECTING, CONSERVING AND ENHANCING NATURAL CAPITAL ....................................................... 9 

Nature and Biodiversity ......................................................................................................................... 9 
Estimating Natural Capital................................................................................................................... 11 
Green Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................... 11 
Soil protection ..................................................................................................................................... 12 

3. 

ENSURING CITIZENS' HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE .......................................................................... 13 

Air quality ............................................................................................................................................ 13 
 ................................................................................................................................................. 14 
Noise 
Water quality and management ......................................................................................................... 14 
Enhancing the sustainability of cities .................................................................................................. 17 
International agreements ................................................................................................................... 17 

PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS ..................................................................... 18 

4.  MARKET BASED INSTRUMENTS AND INVESTMENT ............................................................................ 18 

Green taxation and environmentally harmful subsidies ..................................................................... 18 
Green Public Procurement .................................................................................................................. 19 
Investments: the contribution of EU funds ......................................................................................... 19 

5. 

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND KNOWLEDGE ...................................................................................... 21 

Effective governance within central, regional and local government ................................................. 21 
Compliance assurance ......................................................................................................................... 22 
Public participation and access to justice ........................................................................................... 24 
Access to information, knowledge and evidence ................................................................................ 24 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
 
Executive summary 

Czech Republic  4 

About the Environmental Implementation Review 

launched 

reports  describing 

the 
the  Commission 
In  May  2016, 
Environmental  Implementation  Review  (EIR),  a  two-year 
cycle  of  analysis,  dialogue  and  collaboration  to  improve 
the  implementation  of  existing  EU  environmental  policy 
and  legislation1.  As  a  first  step,  the  Commission  drafted 
28 
the  main  challenges  and 
opportunities on environmental implementation for each 
Member  State.  These  reports  are  meant  to  stimulate  a 
positive debate both on shared environmental challenges 
for  the  EU,  as  well  as  on  the  most  effective  ways  to 
address the key implementation gaps. The reports rely on 
the detailed sectoral implementation reports collected or 
issued  by  the  Commission  under  specific  environmental 
legislation  as  well  as  the  2015  State  of  the  Environment 
Report  and  other  reports  by  the  European  Environment 
Agency.  These  reports  will  not  replace  the  specific 
instruments  to  ensure  compliance  with  the  EU  legal 
obligations.  

The  reports  will  broadly  follow  the  outline  of  the  7th 
Environmental Action Programme2 and refer to the 2030 
related 
for  Sustainable  development  and 
Agenda 
Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDGs)3  to  the  extent  to 
which  they  reflect  the  existing  obligations  and  policy 
objectives of EU environmental law4.  

The  main  challenges  have  been  selected  by  taking  into 
account  factors  such  as  the  importance  or  the  gravity  of 
the  environmental  implementation  issue  in  the  light  of 
the  impact  on  the  quality  of  life  of  the  citizens,  the 
distance to target, and financial implications. 

The  reports  accompany  the  Communication  "The  EU 
Environmental  Implementation  Review  2016:  Common 
challenges  and  how  to  combine  efforts  to  deliver  better 
results",  which  identifies  challenges  that  are  common  to 
several  Member States,  provides  preliminary  conclusions 
on  possible  root  causes  of  implementation  gaps  and 
proposes  joint  actions  to  deliver  better  results.  It  also 
groups in its Annex the actions proposed in each country 
report to improve implementation at national level. 

Though  there  are  more  opportunities  to  move  towards 
circular economy than in other similar MS, these are not 
fully  exploited  yet.  Air  quality  remains  a  significant 
problem  in  some  areas  of  the  country.  Water  scarcity  is 
giving a rise to growing concerns over the implementation 
of a right mix of measures to combat it. Nature protection 
benefits  from  a  long  tradition  but  conflicts  remain  with 
other  sectors  as  a  continuous  challenge.  The  EIA  and 
development consent processes suffer from the legacy of 
non-compliance with EU law.  

Main Challenges 

The three main challenges with regard to implementation 
of EU environmental policy and law in Czech Republic are: 

  Moving  towards  an  effective  and  legally  compliant 
EIA 
environmental 
assessments,  which  would  build  societal  acceptance 
and use best practices  

including 

process, 

other 

  Putting  in  place  the  infrastructures  and  conditions 
(including  reliable  statistics  in  the  waste  sector)  to 
move towards a recycling economy 
Improving air quality in critical regions of the country, 
notably in urban areas, while promoting the right set 
of measures 

 

Main Opportunities 

Czech  Republic  could  perform  better  on  topics  where 
there  is  already  a  good  knowledge  base  and  good 
practices. This applies in particular to: 

  Building  on  experiences 

in  nature  protection 
including the comprehensive nation-wide species and 
habitat  monitoring  system  towards  a  complete  and 
well managed Natura 2000 network  

  Working  in  water  and  climate  change  policy  more 
within  the  framework  of  EU  Water  Framework 
Directive, and notably integrating RBMPs better into 
planning and decision making in the water sector 
  More ambitious use of the opportunities provided by 
the  ESIF  (and  ESFI)  to  enhance  environmental 
integration 

General profile 

Points of Excellence 

The  Czech  Republic  has  a  varied  performance  when  it 
comes  to  the  effectiveness  in  the  implementation  of 
environmental policies.  

Where  Czech  Republic  is  a  leader  on  environmental 
implementation,  innovative  approaches  could  be  shared 
more widely with other countries. Good examples are: 

1 Communication "Delivering the benefits of EU environmental policies 

through a regular Environmental Implementation Review" 
(COM/2016/ 316 final). 

2 Decision No. 1386/2013/EU of 20 November 2013 on a General Union 
Environmental Action Programme to 2020 "Living well, within the 
limits of our planet". 

3 United Nations, 2015. The Sustainable Development Goals  
4 This EIR report does not cover climate change, chemicals and energy. 

  The  monitoring  of  habitats  and  species  under  the 
is  very  well  established  and 

Habitats  Directive 
organized in the Czech Republic.   

  The  Czech  Republic  has  a  well-established  EPR 

scheme for municipal waste packaging. 

  Czech  Republic  is  an  advanced  player  in  the  field  of 

international cooperation (e.g. CITES) 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
                                                            
Czech Republic  5 

Part I: Thematic Areas 

1. Turning the EU into a circular, resource-efficient, green and 

competitive low-carbon economy 

Developing a circular economy and improving 
resource efficiency 

The 2015 Circular Economy Package emphasizes the need 
to  move  towards  a  lifecycle-driven  ‘circular’  economy, 
with a cascading use of resources and residual waste that 
is  close  to  zero.  This  can  be  facilitated  by  the 
development  of,  and  access  to,  innovative  financial 
instruments and funding for eco-innovation. 

SDG  8  invites  countries  to  promote  sustained,  inclusive 
and  sustainable  economic  growth,  full  and  productive 
employment  and  decent  work  for  all.  SDG  9  highlights 
the  need  to  build  resilient 
infrastructure,  promote 
inclusive  and  sustainable  industrialization  and  foster 
innovation.  SDG 12  encourages countries  to  achieve  the 
sustainable  management  and  efficient  use  of  natural 
resources by 2030. 

Measures towards a circular economy 

Transforming our economies from linear to circular offers 
an  opportunity  to  reinvent  them  and  make  them  more 
stimulate 
sustainable  and  competitive.  This  will 
investments and bring both short and long-term benefits 
for the economy, environment and citizens alike.5 

The  Czech  Republic  is  performing  below  the  EU  average 
in  terms  of  resource  productivity6  (how  efficiently  the 
economy  uses  material  resources  to  produce  wealth), 
with 1.0 EUR/kg (EU average is 2 EUR/kg) in 2015. Figure 
1  shows  a  modest  but  stable  increase  since  2003, 
remaining stable since 2013.7  

To  date,  there  is  no  national  policy  outlining  a  coherent 
approach  towards  eco-innovation  and  the  circular 
economy8. 

The new Waste Management Plan of the Czech Republic 
for the period 2015-2024 has proposed the transition to 
a circular economy as an objective.  

There are some circular economy initiatives in the Czech 
Republic, but these are rather scarce9.  

The  main  challenges  the  Czech  Republic  faces  with 
respect  to  eco-innovation  and  circular  economy  are 
related  to  the  research  and  innovation  system.  The 
education  and  public  research  systems  also  need  to  be 
stepped up to address this challenge. 
Figure 1: Resource productivity 2003-1510 

Eco-innovation  and  circular  economy  developments  in 
the  Czech  Republic  are  primarily  focused  on  energy 
efficiency  in  buildings  and  infrastructure,  sustainable 
transport,  and  several  environmental  topics  –  such  as 
water  efficiency  and  wastewater  treatment,  waste 
management  (e.g.  municipal  and  food  waste)  and 
recycling  of 
resource  efficiency 
construction  and  demolition  waste,  and 
reduced 
resource consumption).  In recent years, there appears to 
have  been  rapid  growth  in  innovation  in  bio-  and 
nanotechnologies. 

reuse  and 

(e.g. 

The  Czech  Republic  employed  96,381  people  in  the 
environmental goods and services sector in 2013 (96.875 
in 2012). 

SMEs and resource efficiency 

In  the  Flash  426  Eurobarometer  "SMEs,  resource 
efficiency  and  green  markets"  it  is  shown  that  56%  of 
Czech  Republic's  SMEs  have  invested  up  to  5%  of  their 
annual turnover in their resource efficiency actions (EU28 

5 European Commission, 2015. Proposed Circular Economy Package.  
6 Resource productivity is defined as the ratio between gross domestic 

product (GDP) and domestic material consumption (DMC). 

7 Eurostat, Resource productivity, accessed October 2016 
8 European Environment Agency, 2016. More from less – material 

resource efficiency in Europe. Czech Republic Report 

9 For example, the Epsilon programme managed by the Technology 

Agency of the Czech Republic (TACR), supports projects that develop 
industrial applications using new technologies and new materials in 

the energy, environment and transport sectors, like project 
NANOBIOWAT as a good practise, ; in September 2014, the Action 
Plan for secondary raw materials strategy was adopted by the 
Decision of the Government of the Czech Republic; the goal of the 
mentioned document is the effective extraction and utilization of 
secondary raw materials for the purpose of saving non-renewable 
resources (energy and non-energy raw materials). 
10 Eurostat, Resource productivity, accessed October 2016 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                                                                 
average 50%), 22 % of them are currently offering green 
products  and  services  (EU28  average  26%),  67%  took 
measures  to  save  energy  (EU28  average  59%),  65%  to 
minimise waste (EU28 average 60%), 46% to save water 
(EU28  average  44%),  and  51%  to  save  materials  (EU28 
average 54%). From a circular economy perspective, 42% 
took  measures  to  recycle  by  reusing  material  or  waste 
within  the company  (EU28 average  40%),  26% to  design 
products  that  are  easier  to  maintain,  repair  or  reuse 
(EU28 average 22%) and 32% were able to sell their scrap 
material to another company (EU28 average 25%).   

According to the Flash 426 Eurobarometer, the resource 
efficiency  actions  undertaken  allowed  the  reduction  of 
production  costs  in  a  45%  of  the  Czech  Republic's  SMEs 
(EU28  average  45%).  The  Flash  426  Eurobarometer 
"SMEs,  resource  efficiency  and  green  markets"  shows 
that 20% of the SMEs in Czech Republic have one or more 
full time employee working in a green job at least some 
of  the  time  (EU28  average  35%).  Czech  Republic  has  an 
average  number  of  1.2  full  time  green  employees  per 
SME (EU28 average 1.7)11  

Eco-innovation 

The  scoreboard  shows  that  the  overall  2015  eco-
innovation  performance  of  the  Czech  Republic  has 
improved compared to 2013, with an overall index score 
of  99  (compared  to  a  score  of  71  in  2013),  ranking  as 
13th among the 28 EU Member States (compared to 17th 
place  in  2013).  The  significant  improvement  in  ranking 
and the overall score could have been caused  by  a  data 
source change and hence the results for these indicators 
are not fully comparable with the data for 2013.  
Existing  barriers  in  R&D12  are  relevant  also  for  eco-
innovation  sector.  The  examples  can  be  summarised  as 
follows: 

Weak  outcomes  and  results  of  Czech  R&D  activities, 
limited  cooperation  between  academia  and  business. 
R&D policy and funding framework remains fragmented 

High  dependence  of  the  Czech  Republic’s  economic 
foreign-owned 
development  on 
companies  that  only  use  the  Czech  Republic  as  a 
manufacturing base  

the  activities  of 

Czech Republic  6 

Figure 2: Eco-Innovation Index 2015 (EU=100)13 

Suggested action 

  Strengthen  the  policy  framework  to  speed  up  the 
uptake  of  the  circular  economy  providing  further 
support to local businesses and increasing investments 
in the public research and education systems.  

  Incentivise investments in green products and services. 
  Foster R&D funding among SMEs. 

Waste management  

Turning waste into a resource requires: 
 

implementation  of  Union  waste 

Full 
legislation, 
which  includes  the  waste  hierarchy;  the  need  to 
ensure  separate  collection  of  waste;  the  landfill 
diversion targets etc. 

  Reducing  per  capita  waste  generation  and  waste 

The  instability  of  the  regulatory  framework  and  the 
administrative  burden  associated  with  complying  with 
the regulatory rules.  

 

generation in absolute terms. 
Limiting energy recovery to non-recyclable materials 
and  phasing  out 
recyclable  or 
recoverable waste. 

landfilling  of 

11 The Flash 426 Eurobarometer "SMEs, resource efficiency and green 

markets" defines "green job" as a job that directly deals with 
information, technologies, or materials that preserves or restores 
environmental quality. This requires specialised skills, knowledge, 
training, or experience (e.g. verifying compliance with environmental 
legislation, monitoring resource efficiency within the company, 
promoting and selling green products and services). 

12 Commission, (SWD(2016) 73 final) 

SDG  12  invites  countries  to  substantially  reduce  waste 
generation  through  prevention,  reduction,  recycling  and 
reuse, by 2030.  

The EU's approach to waste management is based on the 
"waste  hierarchy"  which  sets  out  an  order  of  priority 

13 Eco-innovation Observatory: Eco-Innovation scoreboard 2015 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
 
                                                            
includes 

when  shaping  waste  policy  and  managing  waste  at  the 
operational 
level:  prevention,  (preparing  for)  reuse, 
recycling,  recovery  and,  as  the  least  preferred  option, 
disposal  (which 
incineration 
without energy recovery). The progress towards reaching 
recycling 
the  adoption  of  adequate 
WMP/WPP14  should  be  the  key  items  to  measure  the 
performance  of  Member  States.  This  section  focuses  on 
management  of  municipal  waste  for  which  EU  law  sets 
mandatory recycling targets. 

landfilling  and 

targets  and 

Figure  3:  Municipal  waste  by  treatment 
Republic 2007-1415 

in  Czech 

Municipal  waste16  generation  in  Czech  Republic  remains 
much 
(310 
to 
kg/y/inhabitant compared to around 475 kg/y/inhabitant 
on average).17  

the  EU  average 

lower  compared 

Figure  3  depicts  the  municipal  waste  by  treatment  in 
Czech Republic in terms of kg per capita, which shows a 
slightly increase of the recycling rates compared to 2013. 

Recycling  of  municipal  waste  accounts  for  25%  being 
below the EU average (44%) as shown in Figure 4. Figure 
4  also  shows  that  Czech  Republic, while having  a  steady 
increase in recycling rate, must invest further in recycling 
in  the  next  coming  years  in  order  to  reach  the  2020 
recycling target.18 

14 Waste Management Plans/Waste Prevention Programmes 
15 Eurostat, Municipal waste and treatment, by type of treatment 

method, accessed October 2016 

16 Municipal waste consists of waste collected by or on behalf of 

municipal authorities, or directly by the private sector (business or 
private non-profit institutions) not on behalf of municipalities.  
17 The Czech Ministry of Environment uses data collected by the Czech 
Environment Agency CENIA which diverge significantly from the data 
reported to ESTAT by the Czech Statistical (i.e. the waste generation 
is around 40% higher, recycling rates are 10% higher and incineration 
rates lower). This data is used in the national and regional Waste 
Management Plans as well as ESIF Operational programmes. 

18 Member States may choose a different method than the one used by 
ESTAT (and referred to in this report) to calculate their recycling rates 

Czech Republic  7 

Figure 4: Recycling rate of municipal waste 2007-1419 

The  main  treatment  option  for  municipal  waste  is  still 
landfilling.  It  accounts  for  56%  and  it  is  above  the  EU 
average of 28%. 

Currently,  a  number  of  flaws  in  waste  management 
policy make it difficult for Czech Republic to comply with 
EU targets: a high share of biodegradable waste goes to 
landfills.  Waste  treatment  is  not  fully  in  line  with  the 
waste  hierarchy,  there  is  a  non-harmonised  national 
waste data base and insufficient reporting structures.  

In order to help bridge the implementation gap in Czech 
Republic,  the  Commission  has  delivered  a  roadmap  for 
compliance in which economic instruments play a crucial 
role.20  The  Czech  Republic  adopted  the  revision  of  the 
of 
Waste  Act  mandating 
biodegradable waste in all municipalities since 2015, and 
announcing a ban on landfilling of recyclable, recoverable 
and  mixed  municipal  waste  since  202421.  These  changes 
in  the  Waste  Act  lead  explicitly  to  divert  waste  from 
landfills  towards  treatments  higher 
in  the  waste 
hierarchy. 

collection 

separate 

in 

is  hampered  by 

However, an objective assessment of the performance of 
the  area  of  municipal  waste 
Czech  Republic 
management 
large  discrepancies 
between  the  Ministry  of  Environment  data  used  e.g.  in 
the national WMP and the official waste statistics of the 
latter  was 
Czech  Statistical  Office,  while  only  the 
validated by Eurostat.  

The  discrepancies  are  quite  relevant  in  magnitude  and 
lead  to  different  projections.  The  most  visible  aspect  is, 
that  according  to  the  new  Waste  management  plan, 

and track compliance with the 2020 target of 50% recycling of 
municipal waste. 

19 Eurostat, Recycling rate of municipal waste, accessed October 2016 
20 European Commission, Roadmap Czech Republic  
21 Act No. 229/2014 Coll., in force as of 01/01/2015 as amending the 

Waste Act No. 185/2001 Coll.    

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
                                                            
 
                                                                                                 
Czech Republic  8 

  Shift  reusable  and  recyclable  waste  away 

from 
incineration  by  introducing  incineration  taxes.  Avoid 
building overcapacities for residual waste treatment. 
  It  is  imperative  that  the  Czech  Republic  uses  waste 
statistics  that  are  compatible  with  the  Eurostat 
Guidelines.

additional waste to energy capacity is foreseen (of 18% in 
2020 and 28% in 2024) claiming that only 11% of waste is 
incinerated  when,  according  to  Eurostat,  almost  20%  of 
the municipal waste was incinerated in 2014.22  

In  August  2016,  the  Ministry  of  Environment  and  the 
Czech  Statistical  Office  agreed  to  reduce  discrepancies 
between  data  of  both  institutions  on  municipal  waste 
generation. The agreement includes short-term and long-
term  objectives  needed  for  a  full  consolidation  of  data. 
Its implementation is still outstanding. 

The  National  Waste  Management  Plan  2015-2024  was 
adopted on 22 December 2014 by the Czech Government 
(together  with 
the  National  Waste  Prevention 
Programme).  The  Regional  Waste  Management  Plans 
were  adopted  by  June  2016.    The  plans  include  policy 
measures which should help the Czech Republic achieve 
its  recycling  targets;  there  are  however  concerns  as 
regards  planned  capacity  for  residual  waste  treatment, 
namely waste to energy. The issue is directly linked with 
the problem of data escribed above. 

The  Czech  Republic  has  a  well-functioning  EPR  scheme 
for packaging23 and overachieves the relevant packaging 
targets. 

Estimates  show  that  full  implementation  of  the  existing 
legislation  could  create  more  than  8,800  jobs  in  Czech 
Republic  and  increase  the  annual  turnover  of  the  waste 
sector by EUR 930 million. Moving towards the targets of 
the  roadmap  on  resource  efficiency  could  create 
additional 10,788  jobs  and  increase  the  annual  turnover 
of the waste sector over EUR 1.1 billion.24 

Suggested action 

  Increase  progressively  the  existing  landfill  tax25  to 
divert waste from landfill. Use the revenues to support 
the separate collection and alternative infrastructure in 
conjunction  with  a  better  allocation  of  the  cohesion 
policy funds to the first steps of waste hierarchy.  

  Focus  on  improving  the  effectiveness  of  separate 

collection to increase recycling rates. 

22 The difference is in the reported generation of municipal waste to 

Eurostat by Czech Statistical Office (3.228 mil. t, 2013 and 3.260 mil. 
t, 2014) while generation on municipal waste by MoE is much higher 
(5.168 mil. t, 2013 and 5.324 mil. t, 2014). 

23 According to data for 2015 provided by the national authorities, more 
than 270 000 containers for separate streams of municipal waste 
(plastics, glass, paper, metal, cardboard) are available for citizens. 
24 Bio Intelligence service, 2011. Implementing EU Waste legislation for 
Green Growth, study for European Commission. The breakdown per 
country on job creation was made by the consultant on Commission 
demand but was not included in the published document.   
25 In the proposal for new Waste Act from 2015 it is suggested that 
landfill tax to be gradually increased as of 2018. It also contains 
explicit possibility for municipalities to implement PAYT system. This 
proposal is pending the Government approval yet.   

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
2. Protecting, conserving and enhancing natural capital 

Czech Republic  9 

Nature and Biodiversity  

The  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  aims  to  halt  the  loss  of 
biodiversity  in  the  EU  by  2020,  restore  ecosystems  and 
their services in so far as feasible, and step up efforts to 
avert  global  biodiversity  loss.  The  EU  Birds  and  Habitats 
Directives  aim  at  achieving  favourable  conservation 
status of protected species and habitats.  

SDG  14  requires  countries  to  conserve  and  sustainably 
use the oceans, seas and marine resources, while SDG 15 
requires  countries  to  protect,  restore  and  promote  the 
sustainable  use  of  terrestrial  ecosystems,  sustainably 
manage  forests,  combat  desertification,  and  halt  and 
reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. 

The  1992  EU  Habitats  Directive  and  the  1979  Birds 
Directive are the cornerstone of the European legislation 
aimed  at  the  conservation  of  the  EU's  wildlife.  Natura 
2000, the largest coordinated network of protected areas 
in  the  world,  is  the  key  instrument  to  achieve  and 
implement the Directives' objectives to ensure the  long-
term  protection,  conservation  and  survival  of  Europe's 
most  valuable  and  threatened  species  and  habitats  and 
the ecosystems they underpin. 

The  adequate  designation  of  protected  sites  as  Special 
Ares  of  Conservation  (SAC)  under  the  Habitats  Directive 
and  as  Special  Protection  Areas  (SPA)  under  the  Birds 
Directive 
is  a  key  milestone  towards  meeting  the 
objectives  of  the  Directives.  The  results  of  Habitats 
Directive Article 17 and Birds Directive Article 12 reports 
and  the  progress  towards  adequate  Sites  of  Community 
Importance (SCI)-SPA and SAC designation26 both in land 
and  at  sea,  should  be  the  key  items  to  measure  the 
performance of Member States. 

By early 2016, 14% of the national area of Czech Republic 
is covered by Natura 2000 (EU average 18.1%), with Birds 

26 Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) are designated pursuant to the 
Habitats Directive whereas Special Areas of Protection (SPAs) are 
designated pursuant to the Birds Directive; figures of coverage do 
not add up due to the fact that some SCIs and SPAs overlap. Special 
Areas of Conservation (SACs) means a SCI designated by the Member 
States. 

Directive  SPAs  covering  8.9%  (EU  average  12.3%)  and 
Habitats Directive SCIs covering 9.9% (EU average 13.8%). 
There are 1116 Natura 2000 sites, including 41 SPAs and 
1075 SCIs27.  

While  the  designation  of  the  SPAs 
is  considered 
sufficient,  the  assessment  of  the  SCIs  conducted  in 
previous years shows insufficiencies28 (see Figure 529).  

Figure  5:  Sufficiency  assessment  of  SCI  networks  in 
Czech  Republic  based  on  the  situation  until  December 
2013 (%)30  

New  sites  were  officially  proposed31  by  the  Czech 
Republic  in  February  and  June  2016;  with  spatial  data 
submitted in September 2016. The issue of sufficiency of 
is  currently  being 
the  SCIs 
addressed  by 
the 
in 
infringement procedure initiated in February 2016. 

the  European  Commission 

in  the  Czech  Republic 

SAC  designation  is  still  in  process.  A  compliance  check 

27 2016 submission is not reflected yet in the European list of SCIs. 
28 For each Member State, the Commission assesses whether the 
species and habitat types on Annexes I and II of the Habitats 
Directive, are sufficiently represented by the sites designated to 
date. This is expressed as a percentage of species and habitats for 
which further areas need to be designated in order to complete the 
network in that country. The current data, which were assessed in 
2014-2015, reflect the situation up until December 2013. 

29 The percentages in Figure 5 refer to percentages of the total number 
of assessments (one assessment covering 1 species or 1 habitat in a 
given biographical region with the Member State); if a habitat type or 
a species occurs in more than 1 Biogeographic region within a given 
Member State, there will be as many individual assessments as there 
are Biogeographic regions with an occurrence of that species or 
habitat in this Member State. 

30 European Commission  internal assessment, in CZ case does not take 

into account the 2016 submission 

31 (51 sites) and the target feature added into existing sites (70 sites) 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
 
                                                            
Czech Republic  10 

(EU27: 

30% 
unfavourable-inadequate 
unfavourable-bad status (EU27: 18%). This is depicted in 
Figure 635. 5% and 22% of the unfavourable assessments 
respectively  for  species  and  habitats  were  showing  a 
positive trend in 2013. 

42%) 

and 

claim  an  overall 

A comparison of the results of Article 17 reports enables 
to 
concerns 
conservation  status  of  habitats  and  species  of  EU 
importance. While in the period of 2007-2012 25.3 % was 
found  favourable  only  18.9  %  was  found  favourable  in 
the preceding reporting period.36  

improvement  as 

Figure  6:  Conservation  status  of  habitats  and  species  in 
Czech Republic in 2007/2013 (%)37 

with  provisions  of  the  Habitats  Directive  will  be  done  in 
2016/2017.    

The Natura 2000 sites are managed by professional state 
administration  bodies 
including  National  Parks  as 
independent  entities  devoted  to  nature  conservation, 
Regional  Offices  of  Nature  Conservation  Agency  of  the 
Czech  Republic  and  Environmental  Units  of  Regional 
Administrative Authorities (a few sites are also managed 
by Military area offices). Scientific support is provided by 
the  Nature  Conservation  Agency  of  the  Czech  Republic.  
The  Ministry  of  the  Environment  of  the  Czech  Republic 
bears the overall responsibility for Natura 2000 (including 
methodological guidance for authorised AA experts). The 
monitoring of habitats and species is based on long-term 
experience  of  extensive  expert  base  which  provides 
variety  of  quality  data  on  occurrence,  conservation 
status,  future  perspective  and  threats  for  habitats  and 
species building on traditional approach of landscape and 
nature protection.32 

Natura  2000  is  regarded  as  complementary  to  the 
national nature protection system in the Czech Republic. 
This principle establishes a protection regime of majority 
Natura  2000  sites  that  is  derived  from  a  parallel  regime 
of the Czech nationally protected areas.  

According to the latest report on the conservation status 
of  habitats  and  species  covered  by  the  Habitats 
Directive33,  16%  of 
the  habitats'  biogeographic 
assessments  were  favourable 
in  2013  (EU27:  16%). 
Furthermore,  56%  are  considered  to  be  unfavourable–
inadequate34  (EU27:  47%)  and  27%  are  unfavourable  – 
bad  (EU27:  30%).  As  for  the  species,  27%  of  the 
assessments were favourable in 2013 (EU27: 23%) 39% at 

32 Another example is also The Territorial System of Ecological Stability 
of the Landscape (TSES) – good practise developed already in late 
1970s, tackles the landscape connectivity by the national multi-level 
ecological network 

33 The core of the ‘Article 17’ report is the assessment of conservation 
status of the habitats and species targeted by the Habitats Directive. 

34 Conservation status is assessed using a standard methodology as 

being either ‘favourable’, ‘unfavourable-inadequate’ and 
‘unfavourable-bad’, based on four parameters as defined in Article 1 
of the Habitats Directive. 

According  to  the  official  report  submitted  under  Art.  12 
of  the  Birds  Directive38,  82%  of  the  breeding  species 
showed short-term increasing or stable population trends 
(for wintering species this figure was 20%). 

35 Please note that a direct comparison between 2007 and 2013 data is 
complicated by the fact that Bulgaria and Romania were not covered 
by the 2007 reporting cycle, that the ‘unknown’ assessments have 
strongly diminished particularly for species, and that some reported 
changes are not genuine as they result from improved data / 
monitoring methods. 

36 According to data of Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech 

Republic, it was 22.95 % in the period of 2007-2012 and 17.05 % was 
found favourable in the reporting period 2001(4)-2006   

37 These figures show the percentage of biogeographical assessments in 
each category of conservation status for habitats and species (one 
assessment covering 1 species or 1 habitat in a given biographical 
region with the Member State), respectively. The information is 
based on Article 17 of the Habitats Directive reporting - national 
summary of Czech Republic 

38 Article 12 of the Birds Directive requires Member States to report 
about the progress made with the implementation of the Birds 
Directive. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Figure  7:  Short-term  population  trend  of  breeding  and 
wintering bird species in Czech Republic in 2012 (%)39 

Most  natural  and  near-natural  habitats  occur  in  areas 
with limited or less intensive agricultural production. 

Problematic  aspects  of  implementation  of  the  national 
and  EU  legislation  are  usually  connected  with  general 
nature  protection  issues.  These  are  conflicts  between 
nature  conservation  and  other  socioeconomic  interests 
such  as  river  navigation  or  forest  management  in  the 
national parks and Natura 2000.   

Forest areas account for around 34% of the total area of 
the Czech Republic which is below the EU average (42%). 
Afforested  area  is  steadily  growing.  15%  of  the  forest 
benefits  from  a  protection  regime.  Almost  60%  of  the 
forest  belongs  to  the  state.  The  management  of  the 
forest  is  done  by  the  forest  authorities,  in  accordance 
with  the  Forest  Management  Plans  focusing  on  the 
production  function  of  the  forest  (representing  75%  of 
the  total  forest  area).  As  regards  the  health  of  forest, 
though the trend has stabilised over last years, the forest 
ecosystems  suffer  from  a  high 
level  of  defoliation 
compared to other European countries.40  

Suggested action 

  Complete the Natura 2000 designation process and put 
in place clearly defined conservation objectives and the 
necessary  conservation  measures  for  the  sites  and 
provide  adequate  resources  for  their  implementation 
in  order  to  maintain/restore  species  and  habitats  of 
community interest to a favourable conservation status 
across their natural range.  
  Develop  and  promote 

streamlined 
implementation  approaches,  in  particular  as  regards 
site and species permitting procedures (i.e. beyond EIA 
procedures)  and  strengthen  communication  with 
stakeholders. 

smart  and 

Czech Republic  11 

Estimating Natural Capital  

The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 calls on the Member 
States  to  map  and  asses  the  state  of  ecosystems  and 
their  services  in  their  national  territory  by  2014,  assess 
the  economic  value  of  such  services,  and  promote  the 
integration of these values into accounting and reporting 
systems at EU and national level by 2020. 

As  part  of  knowledge  development  efforts,  the  Czech 
Republic  has  completed  ecosystem41  mapping  by  field 
survey  complemented  with 
remote  sensing  data. 
Information  on  structure  and  functions  of  semi-natural 
(agro-
habitats  together  with  other  data  sources 
environmental  schemes,  WFD  etc.)  can  be  utilised  in 
order  to  estimate  the  condition  of  ecosystems.  A 
scientific  study  on  ecosystem  services  was  completed  in 
2013 but its results have not been integrated into policy-
making.  Policy  support  is  also  needed  to  get  data  from 
other sectors.  

Suggested action 

  Provide  government  support  to  the  mapping  and 
assessment of ecosystems and their services, valuation 
and  development  of  natural  capital  accounting 
systems, and use it for policy and decision-making. 

Green Infrastructure  
The  EU  strategy  on  green  infrastructure42  promotes  the 
incorporation  of  green  infrastructure  into  related  plans 
and  programmes  to  help  overcome  fragmentation  of 
habitats  and  preserve  or  restore  ecological  connectivity, 
enhance  ecosystem  resilience  and  thereby  ensure  the 
continued provision of ecosystem services. 

Green  Infrastructure  provides  ecological,  economic  and 
social  benefits  through  natural  solutions.  It  helps  to 
understand the value of the benefits that nature provides 
to human society and to mobilise investments to sustain 
and enhance them. 

The  restoration  and  safeguarding  of  ecosystems  has  a 
long  background  in  the  academic  world  in  the  Czech 
Republic  and  is  incorporated  in  the  planning  system. 
However,  the  results  of  this  work  are  not  well 
implemented.  

In  order  to  monitor  landscape  fragmentation,  work  is 
underway  to  set  indicators  for  the  extent  and  rate  of 
fragmentation/connectivity  of  natural  and  semi-natural 
ecosystems,  allowing  more  efficient  monitoring  of  trend 
changes and comparison of larger territorial units. 

Landscape  connectivity  is  tackled  by  the  national  multi-

39 Article 12 of the Birds Directive reporting - national summary of Czech 

Republic 

41 Ecosystem services are benefits provided by nature such as food, 
clean water and pollination on which human society depends. 

42 European Union, Green Infrastructure — Enhancing Europe’s Natural 

40 http://eagri.cz/public/web/file/426635/ZZ2014.pdf 

Capital, COM/2013/0249 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
Czech Republic  12 

The percentage of built up land in 2009 was 3.28%, close 
to the EU average (3.23%)44. The soil water erosion rate 
in  2010  was  1.65  tonnes  per  ha  per  year,  below  EU28 
average (2.46 tonnes)45. Figure 8 shows the different land 
cover types in Czech Republic in 2012. 
Figure 8: Land Cover types in Czech Republic in 201246 

level  ecological  network  called  the  Territorial  System  of 
Ecological  Stability  of  the  Landscape.  TSES  is  included  in 
the  Nature  and  Landscape  Protection  Act,  which  cites 
TSES  as  one  of  the  main  tools  for  landscape  and  nature 
protection.  

However,  the  mechanisms  for  practical  protection  and 
restoration  of 
its  elements  (core  areas,  ecological 
corridors and stepping stones which overlap with Natura 
2000 areas) are not always sufficient.  

Soil protection  

further  soil  degradation  and 

The  EU  Soil  Thematic  Strategy  highlights  the  need  to 
ensure  a  sustainable  use  of  soils.  This  requires  the 
prevention  of 
the 
preservation of its functions, as well as the restoration of 
degraded  soils.  The  2011  Road  Map  for  Resource-
Efficient  Europe,  part  of  Europe  2020  Strategy  provides 
that  by  2020,  EU  policies  take  into  account  their  direct 
and  indirect  impact  on  land  use  in  the  EU  and  globally, 
and  the  rate  of  land  take  is  on  track  with  an  aim  to 
achieve no net land take by 2050. 

SDG  15  requires  countries  to  combat  desertification, 
restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by 
desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve 
a land-degradation-neutral world by 2030. 

Soil is an important resource for life and the economy. It 
provides  key  ecosystem  services  including  the  provision 
of food, fibre and biomass for renewable energy, carbon 
sequestration,  water  purification  and  flood  regulation, 
the provision of raw and building material. Soil is a finite 
increasingly 
and  extremely 
degrading  in  the  EU.  Land  taken  by  urban  development 
and infrastructure is highly unlikely to be reverted  to its 
natural  state;  it  consumes  mostly  agricultural  land  and 
increases  fragmentation  of  habitats.  Soil  protection  is 
indirectly  addressed  in  existing EU policies  in  areas  such 
as  agriculture,  water,  waste,  chemicals,  and  prevention 
of industrial pollution. 

resource  and 

fragile 

Artificial  land  cover  is  used  for  settlements,  production 
systems and infrastructure. It may itself be split between 
built-up areas (buildings) and non-built-up areas (such as 
linear transport networks and associated areas). 

The  annual  land  take  rate  (growth  of  artificial  areas)  as 
provided by CORINE Land Cover was 0.43% in the Czech 
Republic over the period 2006-12, around the EU average 
(0.41%).  It  represented  2159  hectares  per  year43  (in  the 
previous period 2000-2006 it was 1944 hectares) and was 
mainly driven by housing, services and recreation as well 
as industrial and commercial sites. 

43 European Environment Agency Draft results of CORINE Land Cover 

There  are  still  not  EU-wide  datasets  enabling  the 
provision of benchmark indicators for soil organic matter 
decline, contaminated sites, pressures on soil biology and 
diffuse pollution. 

An  updated  inventory  and  assessment  of  soil  protection 
policy  instruments  in  Czech  Republic  and  other  EU 
Member  States  is  being  performed  by  the  EU  Expert 
Group on Soil Protection. 

In  2015  the  Czech  Republic  adopted  an  amendment  to 
the  Nature  and  Landscape  Conservation  Act  which  can 
strengthens the protection of agricultural soil. 47  

44 European Environment Agency, 2016. Imperviousness and 

imperviousness change 

45 Eurostat, Soil water erosion rate, Figure 2, accessed November 2016 
46 European Environment Agency, Land cover 2012 and changes 

country analysis [publication forthcoming] 

47 It makes the protection of best quality soil from sealing considerably 

(CLC) inventory 2012; mean annual land take 2006-12 as a % of 2006 
artificial land. In the period 2000-2006 

stricter, it focuses on reclamation of agricultural land after temporary 
land claims, and regulates soil protection from erosion. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
 
                                                            
3. Ensuring citizens' health and quality of life 

Air quality 

emission ceilings50. 

Czech Republic  13 

The  EU  Clean  Air  Policy  and  legislation  require  that  air 
quality  in  the  Union  is  significantly  improved,  moving 
closer  to  the  WHO  recommended  levels.  Air  pollution 
and its impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity should be 
further reduced with the long-term aim of not exceeding 
critical  loads  and  levels.  This  requires  strengthening 
efforts  to  reach  full  compliance  with  Union  air  quality 
legislation  and  defining  strategic  targets  and  actions 
beyond 2020. 

The  EU  has  developed  a  comprehensive  suite  of  air 
legislation48,  which  establishes  health-based 
quality 

At the same time, air quality in Czech Republic continues 
to  give  cause  for  concern.  For  the  year  2013,  the 
European  Environment  Agency  estimated  that  about 
12,030  premature  deaths  were  attributable  to  fine 
particulate  matter51  concentrations,  370  to  ozone52 
dioxide53 
concentration 
concentrations.54  This  is  due  also  to  exceedances  above 
the EU air quality standards such as shown in Figure 955.   

nitrogen 

and 

330 

to 

For 2014, exceedances above the EU air quality standards 
have been registered related to particulate matter (PM10) 
in  ten  air  quality  zones,  and annual mean concentration 

Figure 9: Attainment situation for PM10, NO2 and O3 in 2014 

that  up-to-date 

standards  and  objectives  for  a  number  of  air  pollutants. 
As  part  of  this,  Member  States  are  also  required  to 
ensure 
information  on  ambient 
concentrations  of  different  air  pollutants  is  routinely 
made  available  to  the  public.  In  addition,  the  National 
Emission  Ceilings  Directive  provides 
for  emission 
reductions  at  national  level  that  should  be  achieved  for 
main pollutants. 

The  emission  of  several  air  pollutants  has  decreased 
significantly in the Czech Republic 49. Reductions between 
1990 and 2014 for sulphur oxides (-93%), nitrogen oxides 
(-77%),  ammonia  (-56%)  as  well  as  volatile  organic 
compounds  (-54%)  ensure  air  emissions  for  these 
pollutants  are  within  the  currently  applicable  national 

48 European Commission, 2016. Air Quality Standards 
49 See EIONET Central Data Repository and Air pollutant emissions data 

viewer (NEC Directive) 

of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in one air quality zone (Prague). 

50 The current national emission ceilings apply since 2010 (Directive 
2001/81/EC); revised ceilings for 2020 and 2030 have been set by 
Directive (EU) 2016/2284 on the reduction of national emissions of 
certain atmospheric pollutants, amending Directive 2003/35/EC and 
repealing Directive 2001/81/EC. 

51 Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of aerosol particles (solid and 
liquid) covering a wide range of sizes and chemical compositions. 
PM10 (PM2.5) refers to particles with a diameter of 10 (2.5) 
micrometres or less. PM is emitted from many human sources, 
including combustion. 

52 Low level ozone is produced by photochemical action on pollution 

and it is also a greenhouse gas. 

53 NOx is emitted during fuel combustion e.g. from industrial facilities 
and the road transport sector. NOx is a group of gases comprising 
nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). 

54 European Environment Agency, 2016. Air Quality in Europe – 2016 
Report. (Table 10.2, please see details in this report as regards the 
underpinning   methodology). 

55 Based on European Environment Agency, 2016. Air Quality in Europe 

– 2016 Report. (Figures 4.1, 5.1 and 6.1) 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
                                                            
 
indicated 
Furthermore,  four  air  quality  zones  have 
exceedances regarding fine particulate matter (PM2.5), for 
which  the  limit  value  has  become  binding  only  in  2015. 
Target values for annual mean concentrations have been 
exceeded  in  at  least  one  air  quality  zone  for  cadmium, 
benzo(a)pyrene, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide as well 
as ozone.56 

The  persistent  breaches  of  air  quality  requirements  (for 
PM10  and  NO2),  which  have  severe  negative  effects  on 
health  and  environment,  are  being  followed  up  by  the 
European  Commission  through  infringement  procedures 
covering  all  the  Member  States  concerned,  including 
Czech  Republic.  The  aim  is  that  adequate  measures  are 
put in place to bring all zones into compliance. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  the  health-related  external 
costs from air pollution in Czech Republic are above EUR 
6 billion/year (income adjusted, 2010), which include not 
only the intrinsic value of living a full health life but also 
direct costs to the economy. These direct economic costs 
relate  to  4  million  workdays  lost  each  year  due  to 
sickness related to air pollution, with associated costs for 
employers  of  EUR  388  million/year  (income  adjusted, 
2010),  for  healthcare  of  above  EUR  21  million/year 
(income adjusted, 2010), and for agriculture (crop losses) 
of EUR 102 million/year (2010). 57 

Suggested action 

Maintain downward emissions trends of air pollutants in 
order  to  achieve  full  compliance  with  air  quality  limit 
values  -  and  reduce  adverse  air  pollution  impacts  on 
health, environment and economy. 

Reduce  nitrogen  oxide  (NOx)  emissions  to  comply  with 
currently  applicable  national  emission  ceilings58    and/or 
to 
(and  ozone 
concentrations),  inter alia,  by  reducing  transport  related 
emissions - in particular in urban areas. 

reduce  nitrogen  dioxide 

(NO2) 

Reduce  PM10  emission  and  concentration,  inter  alia,  by 
reducing  emissions 
to  energy  and  heat 
generation  using  solid  fuels,  to  transport  and  to 
agriculture. 

related 

Noise 

The  Environmental  Noise  Directive  provides  for  a 
common  approach  for  the  avoidance,  prevention  and 
reduction  of  harmful  effects  due  to  exposure  to 

Czech Republic  14 

environmental noise. 

Excessive  noise  is  one  of  the  main  causes  of  health 
issues59.  To alleviate  this,  the  EU  acquis  sets  out  several 
requirements, 
including  assessing  the  exposure  to 
environmental  noise  through  noise  mapping,  ensuring 
that information on environmental noise and its effects is 
made  available  to  the  public,  and  adopting  action  plans 
with  a  view  to  preventing  and  reducing  environmental 
noise  where  necessary  and  to  preserving  the  acoustic 
environment quality where it is good. 

of 

Czech 

Republic’s 

implementation 

The 
the 
Environmental  Noise  Directive60  is  delayed.  The  noise 
mapping  for  the  most  recent  reporting  round,  for  the 
reference year 2011, is complete. However, action plans 
for  noise  management  in  the  current  period  have  not 
been  adopted  for  any  of  the  agglomerations,  major 
roads, major railways or major airports within the scope 
of  the  Directive.  The  Commission  contacted  the  Czech 
authorities  with  regard  to  the  missing  action  plans,  and 
continues  to  follow  up  on  the  situation.  Complaints  on 
infrastructure  development  are  often  related  to  noise 
issues,  especially 
infrastructure  projects  with 
outdated EIA assessments. 

for 

Suggested action 

  Complete  action  plans  for noise  management  and use 

them in planning. 

Water quality and management 

(including  surface  and  ground  waters) 

The  EU  water  policy  and  legislation  require  that  the 
impact  of  pressures  on  transitional,  coastal  and  fresh 
is 
waters 
significantly  reduced  to  achieve,  maintain  or  enhance 
good  status  of  water  bodies,  as  defined  by  the  Water 
Framework Directive; that citizens throughout the Union 
benefit from high standards for safe drinking and bathing 
water;  and  that  the  nutrient  cycle  (nitrogen  and 
phosphorus)  is  managed  in  a  more  sustainable  and 
resource-efficient way. 

SDG  6  encourages  countries  to  ensure  availability  and 
sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. 

The  main  overall  objective  of  EU  water  policy  and 
legislation  is  to  ensure  access  to  good  quality  water  in 
sufficient  quantity  for  all  Europeans.  The  EU  water 
acquis61  seeks  to  ensure  good  status  of  all  water  bodies 

56 See The EEA/Eionet Air Quality Portal and the related Central Data 

59 WHO/JRC, 2011, Burden of disease from environmental noise, 

Repository 

57 These figures are based on the Impact Assessment for the European 

Commission Integrated Clean Air Package (2013) 

58 Under the provisions of the revised National Emission Ceilings 

Directive, Member States now may apply for emission inventory 
adjustments. Pending evaluation of any adjustment application, 
Member States should keep emissions under close control with a 
view to further reductions. 

Fritschi, L., Brown, A.L., Kim, R., Schwela, D., Kephalopoulos, S. (eds), 
World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, 
Denmark 

60 The Noise Directive requires Member States to prepare and publish, 
every 5 years, noise maps and noise management action plans for 
agglomerations with more than 100,000 inhabitants, and for major 
roads, railways and airports. 

61 This includes the Bathing Waters Directive (2006/7/EC); the Urban 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
                                                            
Czech Republic  15 

across Europe by addressing pollution sources (from e.g. 
agriculture, urban areas and industrial activities), physical 
and  hydrological modifications  to  water  bodies)  and  the 
management of risks of flooding.  

(RBMPs)  are  a 
River  Basin  Management  Plans 
requirement  of  the  Water  Framework  Directive  and  a 
means  of  achieving  the  protection,  improvement  and 
sustainable use of the water environment across Europe. 
This includes surface freshwaters such as lakes and rivers, 
groundwater,  estuaries  and  coastal  waters  up  to  one 
nautical mile. 

The  Czech  Republic  has  provided  information  to  the 
Commission  from 
its  second  generation  of  RBMPs. 
However,  as  the  Commission  has  not  yet  been  able  to 
validate  this  information  for all  Member  States,  it is  not 
reported here. 

In  its  first  generation  of  RBMPs  under  the  WFD  Czech 
Republic reported the status of 1069 rivers, 71 lakes and 
173  groundwater  bodies.  Only  20%  of  natural  surface 
water  bodies  achieve  a  good  or  high  ecological  status62 
and  7%  of  heavily  modified  or  artificial  water  bodies63 
achieve  a  good  or  high  ecological  potential.  72%  of 
surface  water  bodies,  67%  of  heavily  modified  and 
artificial  water  bodies  and  only  21%  of  groundwater 
status64.  65%  of 
bodies  achieve  good  chemical 
groundwater bodies are in good quantitative status65. 

The main pressure on Czech waters is flow regulation and 
hydromorphological alteration that affect 67% of surface 
water bodies. 51% of water bodies are affected by diffuse 
sources  of  pollution  sources66,  44%  by  point  sources. 
There  are  not  large  differences  in  pressures  between 
river  basin  districts.  Abstraction  is  not  identified  as  a 
pressure to water status.  
There  were  significant  deficiencies  identified  in  the  1st 
River  Basin  Management  Plans  that  present  gaps  in  the 
pressures, 
monitoring 
methodologies  for  classification  of  status  of  water 

assessment 

system, 

of 

Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) concerning 
discharges of municipal and some industrial waste waters; the 
Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) concerning potable water 
quality; the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) concerning 
water resources management; the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) 
and the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) 

62 Good ecological status is defined in the Water Framework Directive 

referring to the quality of the biological community, the hydrological 
characteristics and the chemical characteristics. 

63 Many European river basins and waters have been altered by human 
activities, such as land drainage, flood protection, and, building of 
dams to create reservoirs... 

64 Good chemical status is defined in the Water Framework Directive 

referring to compliance with all the quality standards established for 
chemical substances at European level. 

65 For groundwater, a precautionary approach has been taken that 

comprises a prohibition on direct discharges to groundwater, and a 
requirement to monitor groundwater bodies. 

66 Diffuse pollution comes from widespread activities with no one 

discrete source. 

level  of  uncertainties 
in  high 
bodies.  This  results 
concerning  the  pressures,  status  of  water  bodies  and 
effectiveness  of  Programmes  of  Measures.  Planning  of 
new  physical  modifications 
application  of 
transparent67.  Programmes  of 
exemptions 
in  a  slight 
measures  are  expected  to  result  only 
the 
improvement  of 
the  highest 
improvement 
in  chemical  status  of 
is  expected 
groundwater (8%).  

status,  with 

is  not 

and 

Nitrate levels in a number of monitoring points, as well as 
eutrophication,  remain  an  issue.  A  recent  Court  of 
Auditors report "Danube river basin II: Quality of water" 
stated  there  is  a  lack  of  ambition  in  the  Member  States 
concerned 
including  the  Czech  Republic  to  address 
causes of pollution. It stated that Member States are not 
using all the possibilities offered by the Nitrates Directive. 
The Czech Nitrates Action Programme is being reviewed 
in  2016  and  it  is  an  opportunity  to  adjust  its  measures 
taking  into  account  the  developments  of  agricultural 
pressures  and  water  quality,  as  well  as 
the 
recommendations of the Court of Auditors report. 

As  regards  drinking  water,  Czech  Republic  reaches  very 
high  compliance  rates  of  99.91  %  for  microbiological, 
99.9  %  for  chemical  and  99.2%  for  indicator  parameters 
laid down in the Drinking Water Directive.68  

Figure  10  shows  that  in  2015,  in  Czech  Republic,  out  of 
153  bathing  waters,  79.1  %  were  of  excellent  quality, 
12.4  %  of  good  quality,  1.3  %  of  sufficient  quality.  3 
bathing  waters  were  of  poor  quality  or  non-compliant 
while  it  was  not  possible  to  assess  the  remaining  8 
bathing  waters.69  The  Czech  Republic  has  a  modest  but 
constant  increase  in  excellent  bathing  water  quality  in 
the past years. 

The  Czech  Republic 
is  subject  to  full  compliance 
obligations  with  the  Urban  Waste  Water  Treatment 
in  Czech  Republic, 
Directive  since  2010.  However, 
according  to  the  2012  data,  only  87.4%  of  the  load 
collected  was  subject  to  secondary  treatment 
(in 
accordance  with  Article  4  of  the  Urban  Waste  Water 
Treatment Directive) and 53.7% of the waste water load 
collected  is  subject  to  more  stringent  treatment  in 
accordance  with  Article  5  of  the  Urban  Waste  Water 
Treatment  Directive  (target:  75.4%).70  The  use  of  EU 

67 The Czech Republic transposed the requirements of Directive 
2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive) into Czech national 
legislation in 2010 and it still necessary to amend the relevant Czech 
legislation to ensure full compliance with Article 4(7) thereof. 
68  Commission's Synthesis Report on the Quality of Drinking Water in 
the Union examining Member States' reports for the 2011-2013 
period, foreseen under Article 13(5) of Directive 98/83/EC; 
COM(2016)666 

69 European Environment Agency, 2016. European bathing water quality 

in 2015, p. 26 

70 European Commission, Eighth Report on the Implementation Status 
and the Programmes for Implementation of the Urban Waste Water 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                                                                 
                                                            
funds over last two programming periods 2004-2006 and 
2007-2013 helped significantly to build or modernise the 
waste  water  treatment  infrastructure.  The  2015  special 
ECA  report  showed  that  some  of  the  investments  were, 
inappropriate71.  Despite  the 
however,  oversized  or 
availability  of  the  EU  funds,  the  Prague  agglomeration 
with  the  biggest  waste  water  treatment  plant  in  the 
Czech  Republic  has  not  met  the  2010  compliance 
deadline  in  one  parameter.  The  reconstruction  of  the 
Prague  Waste  Water  Treatment  Plant  has  finally  started 
in 2015 from national funds. 

The whole territory of the Czech Republic is delimited as 
a sensitive area. 
Figure 10: Bathing water quality 2012 – 201572 

The  estimated  investment  needs  (reported  by  Czech 
Republic  under  Article  17  of  the  Urban  Waste  Water 
Treatment  Directive)  to  reach  full  compliance  with  the 
Directive are of EUR 95 million73. 

According to the Czech 2014 Report on the Environment 
the  following  information  on  water  management  and 
water quality is available: 

-  Total  water  abstraction  as  well  as  water 

consumption in households is stable.  

-  The  water  abstraction  for  public  water  supply 
systems is decreasing due to the reduction of water 
loss in the pipe network (16.6% in 2014 compared to 
17.9% in 2013) 

Directive (COM (2016)105 final) and Commission Staff Working 
Document accompanying the report (SWD (2016)45 final). 

71  Special report No 2/2015: EU-funding of Urban Waste Water. The 

report focus on 1 out of 3 river basins covering 27,5% of the territory 
of the Czech Republic.  Treatment plants in the Danube river basin: 
further efforts needed in helping Member States to achieve EU waste 
water policy objectives  

72 European Environment Agency, State of bathing water, 2016 
73 European Commission, Eighth Report on the Implementation Status 
and the Programmes for Implementation of the Urban Waste Water 
Directive (COM (2016)105 final) and Commission Staff Working 
Document accompanying the report (SWD(2016)45 final). 

Czech Republic  16 

-  The proportion of the population connected to water 
supply  systems  and  to  public  sewerage  systems 
continued to increase  

-  The  amount  of  pollution  discharged  from  point 

sources has decreased every year 
Surface water quality is improving only slowly 

- 
-  As a result of agricultural activities, water resources 

are still exposed to considerable pressure 

Flood risk areas have started to be identified and mapped 
in  the  Czech  Republic  in  the  context  of  Flood  Risk 
Management  Plans  which  were  prepared  together  with 
2nd RBMPs as outstanding conceptual documents based 
on  FD  (2007/60/EC)  requirements.    The  Czech  Republic 
was  hit  by  flooding  incidents  with  serious  economic 
damage in 2010 and 2013.  

Management and  prevention  of  floods is  an  area  where 
potentially  more  economical  nature-based  solutions 
could improve resource efficiency through reducing costs 
and  delivering  multiple  benefits. 
its  2014-20 
In 
the  Operational 
operational  programmes,  namely 
Programme Environment, the Czech Republic is planning 
to invest also in nature-based solutions. 

Water  scarcity  is  giving  a  rise  to  growing  concerns  over 
the implementation of a right mix of measures to combat 
it.  

Suggested action 

the 

intervention 

  The  Czech  Republic  should  improve  its  water policy  in 
the  Water 
line  with 
Framework  Directive74, 
i.e.  do  a  more  detailed 
assessment  of  pressures  to  know  the  status  of  water 
bodies  and  design  effective  Programmes  of  Measures 
that address the main pressures identified.  

logic  of 

  In  relation  to  diffuse  pollution  the  Czech  Republic 
should implement measures to comply with the Nitrate 
Directive taking into account agricultural developments 
and  the  recommendations  of  the  Court  of  Auditors 
report.  

  New physical  modifications of  water  bodies  should  be 
assessed in line with article 4(7). In these assessments 
alternative  options and  adequate  mitigation  measures 
have to be considered. This particularly applies to large 
scale  infrastructure  projects  not  built  yet,  but  which 
were  designed  decades  ago  outside  the  intervention 
logic  of  Water  FD,  like  dams  or  infrastructure  to 
combat floods or drought. 

  The Czech Republic should improve their water pricing 
policy  based  on  an  analysis  of  environmental  and 
resource  costs  and  covering  a  broad  range  of  water 
services.  Exemptions  from  water  fees  should  be 
reconsidered.  As  the  first  step,  2nd  River  Basin 
Managements plans include the Economic analysis  

74 The full set of recommendations relevant to the WFD is here 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
                                                                                                 
 
 
                                                            
Enhancing the sustainability of cities  

The  EU  Policy  on  the  urban  environment  encourages 
cities  to 
implement  policies  for  sustainable  urban 
planning and design, including innovative approaches for 
sustainable 
urban  public 
buildings,  energy  efficiency  and  urban  biodiversity 
conservation.  

transport  and  mobility, 

SDG11  aims  at  making  cities  and  human  settlements 
inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. 

Europe is a Union of cities and towns; around 75% of the 
EU  population  are  living  in  urban  areas.75  The  urban 
the 
environment  poses  particular  challenges 
environment  and  human  health,  whilst  also  providing 
opportunities and efficiency gains in the use of resources.  

for 

The  Member  States,  European  institutions,  cities  and 
stakeholders have prepared a new Urban Agenda for the 
EU  (incorporating  the  Smart  Cities  initiative)  to  tackle 
these  issues  in  a  comprehensive  way,  including  their 
connections with social and economic challenges. At the 
heart  of  this  Urban  Agenda  will  be  the  development  of 
twelve  partnerships  on  the  identified  urban  challenges, 
including air quality and housing76.  

The  European  Commission  will 
benchmark system in 2017.77 

launch  a  new  EU 

The  EU  stimulates  green  cities  through  awards  and 
funding,  such  as  the  EU  Green  Capital  Award  aimed  at 
cities  with  more  than  100,000  inhabitants  and  the  EU 
Green  Leaf  initiative  aimed  at  cities  and  towns,  with 
between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants. 

Czech  Republic  widely  promotes  several 
initiatives. 
National “Strategy of support Agenda 21 2020” has been 
adopted  in  2012  followed  by  Action  plan  in  2016.  Until 
present,  215  Czech  cities  are  in  UN  MA21  database  (of 

75 European Environment Agency, Urban environment 
76 http://urbanagendaforthe.eu/ 
77 The Commission is developing an Urban Benchmarking and 

Monitoring ('UBaM') tool to be launched in 2017. Best practices 
emerge and these will be better disseminated via the app featuring 
the UBaM tool, and increasingly via e.g. EUROCITIES, ICLEI, CEMR, 
Committee of the Regions, Covenant of Mayors and others. 

Czech Republic  17 

which  82  cities  fulfil  requirements  for  categories  A-D).  
Czech  Republic  has  currently  also  9  signatories  with 
commitments  to  mitigate  and  adapt  to  climate  change 
under  Covenant  of  Mayors  for  Climate  and  Energy, 
supported  by  European  Commission.  Ministry  of 
Environment  runs  yearly  dotation  programme  Village  of 
the Year – Green Ribbon, awarding villages or rural towns 
for good practice in green area, water and urban nature 
management. 

International agreements  

The  EU  Treaties  require  that  the  Union  policy  on  the 
environment  promotes  measures  at  the  international 
level  to  deal  with  regional  or  worldwide  environmental 
problems. 

Most  environmental  problems  have  a  transboundary 
nature  and  often  a  global  scope  and  they  can  only  be 
addressed effectively through international co-operation. 
International  environmental  agreements  concluded  by 
the Union are binding upon the institutions of the Union 
and  on  its Member  States. This  requires  the  EU and the 
Member  States  to  sign,  ratify  and  effectively  implement 
all  relevant  multilateral  environmental  agreements 
(MEAs) in a timely manner. This will also be an important 
contribution  towards  the  achievement  of  the  SDGs, 
which Member States committed to in 2015 and include 
many  commitments  contained  already  in  legally  binding 
agreements. 

The  fact  that  some  Member  States  did  not  sign  and/or 
ratify  a  number  of  MEAs  compromises  environmental 
implementation,  including  within  the  Union,  as  well  as 
in  related  negotiations  and 
the  Union’s  credibility 
international  meetings  where 
the 
participation of third countries to such agreements is an 
established  EU  policy  objective.  In  agreements  where 
voting takes place it has a direct impact on the number of 
votes to be cast by the EU. 

supporting 

The  Czech  Republic  has  signed  and  ratified  almost  all 
MEAs.  The  Czech  Republic  is  an  advanced  player  in  the 
field  of  international  cooperation  in  water  protection 
based  on  long  term  experience.  There  are  bilateral 
agreements signed with all 4 neighbouring countries and 
CZ is a party to International Commissions for protection 
of  rivers  Elbe,  Danube  and  Oder,  which  cover  all  Czech 
river  basins. 
Implementation  and  enforcement  of 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 
of Wild Fauns and Flora (CITES) and the EU Wildlife Trade 
Regulations could be regarded as another example.78 

78  The  Czech  Republic  has  been  awarded  with  the  prestigious 
“Certificate  of  Commendation“  by  the  General  Secretary  CITES  for  its 
exemplary efforts in the fight against illegal wildlife trade. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
                                                            
                                                            
 
Part II: Enabling Framework: Implementation Tools 

4. Market based instruments and investment  

Czech Republic  18 

for  generating  additional  revenue  form  this  source:  it 
accounts for CZK 14.45 billion in 2030 (EUR 0.52 billion in 
real  2015  terms),  equivalent  to  0.22%  of  GDP.  An 
increase in the existing circulation tax, with the tax base 
potentially  including  particulate  matter  (as  well  as  CO2 
emissions)  will  help  foster  improvements  in  air  quality. 
The next largest potential contribution to revenue comes 
from  the  proposed  amendments  to  taxes  on  transport 
fuels.  This  accounts  for  CZK  12.48  billion  in  2030  (EUR 
0.45  billion)  (real  2015  terms),  equivalent  to  0.19%  of 
GDP (real 2015 terms), equivalent to 0.42% of GDP.  

Figure  11:  Environmental  tax  revenues  as  a  share  of 
total  revenues  from  taxes  and  social  contributions  
(excluding imputed social contributions) in 201483 

Green taxation and environmentally harmful 
subsidies 

The Circular Economy Action Plan encourages the use of 
financial  incentives  and  economic  instruments,  such  as 
taxation  to  ensure  that  product  prices  better  reflect 
environmental costs. The phasing out of environmentally 
harmful  subsidies  is  monitored  in  the  context  of  the 
European  Semester  and  in  national  reform  programmes 
submitted by Member States. 

Taxing pollution and resource use can generate increased 
revenue  and  brings  important  social  and  environmental 
benefits. 

Czech  Republic's  revenues  from  environmentally  related 
taxes  and  fees  continued  to  decline  across  the  last  10 
years79 and reached 2.12% of GDP in 2014 against an EU 
average of 2.46%. Energy taxes constitute 1.96% of GDP, 
slightly  above  the  EU  average  of  1.88%.  Taxes  on 
transport  (excluding  fuel)  in  the  Czech  Republic  are 
among the lowest in the EU (0.14% of GDP compared to 
the EU28 level of 0.49% GDP). As shown in Figure 11, in 
2014  environmental  tax  revenues  accounted  for  6.22% 
(up from 6.15% in 2013) of total revenues from taxes and 
social-security contributions (EU28 average: 6.35%)80.  
A  2016  study  suggests81  that  there  is  considerable 
potential for shifting taxes from labour to environmental 
taxes in Czech Republic. Under a good practice scenario82 
the amount could be as much as CZK 30.29 billion in 2018 
(EUR 1.09 billion), rising to CZK 55.32 billion in 2030 (EUR 
1.99 billion) (both in real 2015 terms). This is equivalent 
to  an  additional  0.62%  and  0.83%  of  GDP  in  2018  and 
2030, respectively. Given the low level of transport taxes 
(excluding fuel), there is a potentially considerable scope 

79 With the exception of 2009 and 2011 
80 http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3859598/5936129/KS-GQ-

13-005-EN.PDF/706eda9f-93a8-44ab-900c-
ba8c2557ddb0?version=1.0 

81 Eunomia Research and Consulting, IEEP, Aarhus University, ENT, 

2016. Study on Assessing the Environmental Fiscal Reform Potential 
for the EU28. N.B. National governments are responsible for setting 
tax rates within the EU Single Market rules and this report is not 
suggesting concrete changes as to the level of environmental 
taxation. It merely presents the findings of the 2016 study by 
Eunomia et al on the potential benefits various environmental taxes 
could bring. It is then for the national authorities to assess this study 
and their concrete impacts in the national context. A first step in this 
respect, already done by a number of Member States, is to set up 
expert groups to assess these and make specific proposals.  
82 The good practice scenario means benchmarking to a successful 

taxation practice in another Member State.  

83 Eurostat, Environmental tax revenues, accessed October 2016 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
 
 
                                                            
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Green Public Procurement  

The  EU  green  public  procurement  policies  encourage 
Member States to take further steps to reach the target 
of applying green procurement criteria to at least 50% of 
public tenders. 
Green  Public  Procurement  (GPP)  is  a  process  whereby 
public  authorities  seek  to  procure  goods,  services  and 
works  with  a  reduced  environmental  impact  throughout 
their  life-cycle  when  compared  to  goods,  services  and 
works  with  the  same  primary  function  that  would 
otherwise be procured.  

The  purchasing  power  of  public  procurement  equals  to 
approximately  14%  of  GDP84.  A  substantial  part  of  this 
money  is  spent  on  sectors  with  high  environmental 
impact such as construction or transport, so GPP can help 
to  significantly  lower  the  impact  of  public  spending  and 
foster 
The 
innovative 
Commission has proposed EU GPP criteria85. 

businesses. 

sustainable 

The  Ministry  of  Environment  has  prepared  “Rules  for 
in  public 
implementing  environmental  requirements 
administration 
procurement  of 
self-
and 
state 
administration”,  which 
European 
on 
based 
is 
Commission’s  toolkits  and  is  developed  instead  of  a 
National Action Plan (NAP) or a National Strategy on GPP. 

GPP criteria are partially developed at the national level 
and include the product groups for furniture and IT office 
equipment.  Toolkits  for  other  product  groups  will  be 
introduced subsequently.86 

In  a  2010  study,  the  share  of  Czech  authorities  that 
included GPP requirements in between 50% and 100% of 
their contracts was estimated between 10 and 20%87. 

Investments: the contribution of EU funds  

European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds  Regulations 
provide  that  Member  States  promote  environment  and 
funding  strategies  and 
climate  objectives 
programmes 
territorial 
cohesion,  rural  development  and  maritime  policy,  and 
reinforce the capacity of implementing bodies to deliver 
cost-effective and sustainable investments in these areas. 

in  their 
for  economic, 

social  and 

Making  good  use  of  the  European  Structural  and 
Investments  Funds  (ESIF)88  is  essential  to  achieve  the 

84 European Commission, 2015. Public procurement 
85 In the Communication “Public procurement for a better environment” 
(COM /2008/400) the Commission recommended the creation of a 
process for setting common GPP criteria. The basic concept of GPP 
relies on having clear, verifiable, justifiable and ambitious 
environmental criteria for products and services, based on a life-cycle 
approach and scientific evidence base. 

86 European Commission, 2015. Documentation on National GPP Action 

Plans 

87 Adelphi et al. 2011. Strategic Use of Public Procurement in Europe 
88 ESIF comprises five funds – the European Regional Development 
Funds (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Social Fund 

Czech Republic  19 

environmental goals and integrate these into other policy 
areas.  Other  instruments  such  as  the  Horizon  2020,  the 
LIFE  programme 
support 
also 
and 
implementation and spread off best practice.      

EFSI  may 

Global budget for the implementation of Cohesion Policy 
in  the  Czech  Republic  in  2014-2020  is  EUR  24.2  billion89 
(see  Figure  12).  The  Czech  Republic  will  receive  about 
20% less funds in 2014-2020 period compared to 2007-13 
period  (EUR  22  billion,  excl.  CEF,  in  current  prices). 
Despite  this  reduction,  it  will  continue  to  benefit  from 
high  rate  investment  intensity,  well  above  the  Member 
States average per capita.  

Figure  12:  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds 
2014-2020:  Budget  Czech  Republic  by  theme,  EUR 
billion90 

As  regards  the  planned  investments  per  environmental 
sector,  these  target  water,  waste,  air,  floods  protection 
and nature. It is too early to draw conclusions as regards 
the  use  and  results  of ESIF for  the period 2014-2020,  as 
the  relevant  programmes  are  still  in  an  early  stage  of 
their implementation. 

There are 9 programmes for ESIF in 2014-2020. The main 
programme 
implementation  of  environmental 
policies is Operational Programme Environment. 

for 

(ESF), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development 
(EAFRD), and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The 
ERDF, the CF and the ESF together form the Cohesion Policy funds. 

89 European Commission, Regional policy Atlas Czech Republic  
90 European Commission, European Structural and Investment Funds 

Data By Country 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
 
                                                                                                 
Czech Republic  20 

secondly,  ensuring  an  effective  implementation  of  the 
first pillar of the CAP with regard to cross compliance and 
'greening'  of  1st  pillar92.  A  more  environmentally 
ambitious  implementation  of  1st  pillar  greening  would 
clearly  help  to  improve  the  environmental  situation  in 
areas  not  covered  by  rural  development, 
including 
intensive  areas,  and  if  appropriate,  the  Czech  Republic 
could  review  its  implementation  of  this  still  during  the 
period 2014-2020.93 

(based  on 

The  environmental  expenditure  (ERDF  +CF)  estimates  to 
10.3% 
related 
categories  of  expenditure),  which,  in  2007-2013  period 
corresponded to 18.1%.  

specific  environmental 

The interventions in the period 2014-2020 should lead to 
additional waste recycling capacities of 700,000 t/year or 
additional  population  of  150,000  citizens  and  60,000 
citizens 
supply  and 
wastewater treatment, respectively.  

improved  water 

served  by 

For the period 2007-2013, the total funds used as of April 
2016  for  the  Czech  Republic  are  95%  for  all  investment 
categories;  for  OP  Environment  the  total  funds  used 
amount  to  94%.91  The  challenge  for  Czech  Republic  in 
programming period 2014-20 is to make good use of EU 
funds  for  targeted  investments  and  to  enhance  the 
environmental integration as well as to use the potential 
of  the  green  economy  for  competitiveness  and  job 
creation. 

The  National  Rural  Development  Program  of  the  Czech 
Rural 
Republic, 
Development Fund part, amounts to EUR 2,500 million. 

European  Agriculture 

and 

its 

for 

Budget 
agri-environmental-climate  measures 
represents 29,4% of the total EAFRD budget. Measure on 
legal  restrictions  emanating  from 
compensation  for 
implementation of Natura 2000 in the RDP takes up 0,1% 
of  the  budget,  while  the  implementation  area  is  very 
limited  (the  only  limitation  in  agricultural  areas  in  first 
zone  of  National  Parks  is  ban  on  fertilisation).  Measure 
on  natural  constraints  represents  22%  of  the  whole 
budget  accounted  under  environmental  objectives  (but 
is,  like  for  other  countries,  without  any  environmental 
condition). 

The  Czech  Republic  proposes  targeted  sub-measures  for 
natural values in agricultural areas, and very limited, but 
as  well  targeted  approach  for  forestry  measures  - 
replacement  of  stands  of  site  inappropriate  species  of 
trees in zones with high depositions, other on restoration 
by  planting  exclusively  pioneering  species  of  trees,  of 
non-productive  investments  in  forests  etc.  Anti-flood 
measures  in  forests  are  also  foreseen.  There  is  a  high 
potential of RDP to address environmental pressures and 
to finance also investments with higher added value (e.g. 
forest machinery eligible only in case of them having soil 
conservation attributes).  

With regard to the integration of environmental concerns 
into  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy  (CAP),  the  two  key 
areas  for  the  Czech  Republic  (as  for  all  Member  States) 
remain  as  challenges:  firstly,  using  Rural  Development 
funds  to  pay  for  environmental  land  management  and 
other  environmental  measures,  while  avoiding  financing 
the  environment; 
measures  which  could  damage 

91 Final data for the period 2007-2013 will only be available at the end 

of 2017.   

92 30 % of direct payment envelope could be allocated to greening 

practices beneficial for the environment. 

93 For the purpose of greening implementation in 2015 (Regulation (EU) 
1307/2013), the Czech Republic made it possible to use 12 elements 
as ecological focus areas (EFA), out of possible 19 elements. Neither 
fertilisers nor plant protection products are allowed on short rotation 
coppice as EFA. Implementation of EFA in form of nitrogen fixing 
crops can be done via soybean (though divergences of views exist on 
the biodiversity benefits of soya). 100% of Natura 2000 grasslands 
were designated as environmentally sensitive, in total 410,595 ha 
(33% of those inside Natura 2000) 273,211 ha were designated 
outside Natura 2000. At the same time it is allowed to convert these 
grasslands to forested areas via RDP measure. 

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
 
5. Effective governance and knowledge

Czech Republic  21 

SDG  16  aims  at  providing  access  to  justice  and  building 
effective,  accountable  and  inclusive  institutions  at  all 
levels. SDG 17 aims at better implementation, improving 
policy  coordination  and  policy  coherence,  stimulating 
science, 
innovation,  establishing 
partnerships and developing measurements of progress. 

technology 

and 

Effective governance of EU environmental legislation and 
policies  requires  having  an  appropriate 
institutional 
framework,  policy  coherence  and  coordination,  applying 
legal  and  non-legal  instruments,  engaging  with  non-
governmental  stakeholders,  and  having  adequate  levels 
of  knowledge  and  skills94.  Successful  implementation 
depends, to a large extent, on central, regional and local 
government  fulfilling  key  legislative  and  administrative 
tasks,  notably  adoption  of 
implementing 
legislation,  co-ordinated  action  to  meet  environmental 
objectives  and  correct  decision-making  on  matters  such 
as  industrial  permits.  Beyond  fulfilment  of  these  tasks, 
to  ensure  day-to-day 
government  must 
compliance  by  economic  operators,  utilities  and 
individuals  ("compliance  assurance").  Civil  society  also 
has  a  role  to  play,  including  through  legal  action.  To 
underpin the roles of all actors, it is crucial to collect and 
share  knowledge  and  evidence  on  the  state  of  the 
environment  and  on  environmental  pressures,  drivers 
and impacts. 

intervene 

sound 

Equally,  effective  governance  of  EU  environmental 
legislation  and  policies  benefits  from  a  dialogue  within 
Member  States  and  between  Member  States  and  the 
Commission  on  whether  the  current  EU  environmental 
legislation  is  fit  for  purpose.  Legislation  can  only  be 
properly 
into  account 
experiences  at  Member  State  level  with  putting  EU 
commitments into effect. The Czech Republic is following 
the Make it Work initiative95. 

implemented  when 

it  takes 

Effective governance within central, regional 
and local government 

Those  involved  in  implementing  environment  legislation 
at  Union,  national,  regional  and  local  levels  need  to  be 
equipped  with  the  knowledge,  tools  and  capacity  to 
improve  the  delivery  of  benefits  from  that  legislation, 
and the governance of the enforcement process. 

94 The Commission has work ongoing to improve the country-specific 
knowledge about quality and functioning of the administrative 
systems of Member States. 

95 a Member State driven project, established in 2014, organizes a 
discussion on how the clarity, coherence and structure of EU 
environmental legislation can be improved, without lowering existing 
protection standards 

Capacity to implement rules 

is 

that 

crucial 

regional  and 

local 
central, 
It 
administrations  have  the  necessary  capacities  and  skills 
and training to carry out their own tasks and co-operate 
and  co-ordinate  effectively  with  each  other,  within  a 
system of multi-level governance. 

is 

The  administrative  capacity 
in  general  sufficient; 
however  the  high  turnover  of  the  staff  with  every 
election  has  been  generating  a  negative  impact  on 
implementation  of  environmental  law  and  policies.    The 
Civil  Service  Act  adopted  in  2015  (precondition  for  the 
adoption  of  the  Czech  operational  programmes  for  PP 
2014-2020) should allow the necessary reform and bring 
the stability, however it is difficult to judge whether this 
is the case yet.  

Although  the  fall  of  the  former  Soviet  bloc  allowed  for 
environmental  awareness  and  the  preparation  for  the 
accession  to  the  EU  helped  to  form  the  environmental 
agenda,  environmental  policies 
lacked  ownership  at 
political  and  administrative  levels  over  the  last  decade. 
This  is  mirrored  in  the  difficulties  not  only  with  the 
adoption  of  environmental  legislation  but  also  in  its 
effective  application.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Czech 
Republic  has  a  wide  pool  of  excellent  environmental 
experts  available,  but  often  beyond  the  national  or 
regional administration. 

The responsibility for environmental laws and policies lies 
with the Ministry of Environment or Regional Authorities 
(e.g. environmental departments of regional authorities). 
Local  authorities  are  typically  in  charge  of  sectorial 
policies,  like  waste  management.  The  Ministry  has  also 
general  supervisory  and  controlling  role.  Legislative 
competences  are  with  the  Parliament;  however  the 
central  government  has  also  a  strong  role  submitting  in 
general drafts laws.  

There  are  approximately  120  environmental  NGOs  
operating at national or local level in the Czech Republic. 
The  role  of  NGOs  in  environmental  education,  nature 
conservation  and  support  of  sustainable 
is 
traditionally  very  important,  since  1960s.  Around  30 
NGOs  are  organised  since  1989  in  the  platform  "Green 
Circle". The impact of NGOs varies.  

living 

The  Czech  Republic  has  an  average  number  of 
infringements  concerning  mainly  non-conformity  and 
bad-application of EU environmental acquis, in particular 
delayed  transposition  of  the  EIA  Directive.  The  sectors 
with  the  main  shares  of  cases  were  waste,  water,  air, 
impact assessment.  

Environmental Implementation Report – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
Czech Republic  22 

the integration of environmental policies has only slightly 
improved over the last decade, being fragmented also by 
the  competences  allocation.  Long-term  thinking  is  often 
prevailed by political decisions.  
The transposition of the revised EIA Directive101 will be an 
opportunity  to  streamline  the  regulatory  framework  on 
environmental assessments. The Commission encourages 
the  streamlining  of  the  environmental  assessments 
because  this  approach  reduces  duplication  and  avoids 
unnecessary  overlaps 
in  environmental  assessments 
applicable 
a  particular  project.  Moreover, 
streamlining  helps  reducing  unnecessary  administrative 
burden  and  accelerates  decision-making,  without 
compromising 
the  environmental 
assessment  procedure.  The  Commission  has  issued  a 
guidance document in 2016102 regarding the setting up of 
are 
coordinated 
simultaneously  subject  to  assessments  under  the  EIA 
Directive, Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive, 
and the Industrial Emissions Directive103. 

joint  procedures 

the  quality  of 

and/or 

that 

for 

Suggested action 

  Improve  the  application  of  EIA  and  SEA  as  important 

tools to ensure environmental integration. 

Compliance assurance 

EU  law  generally  and  specific  provisions  on  inspections, 
other  checks,  penalties  and  environmental  liability  help 
lay  the  basis  for  the  systems  Member  States  need  to 
have 
secure  compliance  with  EU 
to 
environmental rules. 

in  place 

Public  authorities  help  ensure  accountability  of  duty-
holders by monitoring and promoting compliance and by 
taking credible follow-up action (i.e. enforcement) when 
breaches occur or liabilities arise. Compliance monitoring 
initiative  of  authorities 
can  be  done  both  on  the 
themselves  and  in  response to  citizen complaints. It  can 
involve  using  various  kinds  of  checks, 
including 
inspections  for  permitted  activities,  surveillance  for 
possible  illegal  activities,  investigations  for  crimes  and 
audits for systemic weaknesses. Similarly, there is a range 
of  means  to  promote  compliance,  including  awareness-
raising  campaigns  and  use  of  guidance  documents  and 
online  information  tools.  Follow-up  to  breaches  and 
(e.g. 
liabilities  can 

include  administrative  action 

National Action Plan for Clean Mobility (2015) 
Strategy of Ministry of Agriculture with prospect of 2030 (2016) 
Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change in the CZ (2015) 
101 The transposition of Directive 2014/52/EU is due in May 2017 
102 European Commission, 2016. Commission notice — Commission 
guidance document on streamlining environmental assessments 
conducted under Article 2(3) of the Environmental Impact 
Assessment Directive (Directive 2011/92/EU of the European 
Parliament and of the Council, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU). 

103 European Commission, [forthcoming 2016] 

The  environmental  agenda  is  narrowly  linked  to  the 
planning and permitting, which is in hands of the Ministry 
of  Regional  Development  and  Construction  authorities. 
The  Czech  development  system  is  multistage  –  the  EIA 
process  is  followed  by  the  zoning  decision  and  building 
permit  stages.  The  current  system  is  often  regarded  as 
too  slow  and  complex;  however  a  unified  opinion  on  its 
reform does not exist.       

The Czech Republic's legislation has been found not to be 
in conformity with the Environmental Impact Assessment 
(EIA)  Directive  and  therefore  it  was  twice  subject  to  an 
EU  infringement  procedure  since  the  accession  of  the 
Czech Republic into the EU96. This had an impact on the 
legality of the projects which fall under the EIA Directive 
and  which  were  subject  to  the  development  consent 
procedures during this period. The amendment to EIA Act 
(and other relevant Acts), should in principle provide for 
rectification  of  identified  deficiencies97.  However,  a  long 
pipeline of projects with old/pre-accession EIAs which are 
to  be  co-financed  in  PP  2014-2020  exist  in  transport 
sector98.  This  situation  also 
led  to  the  number  of 
individual complaints increasing in 2016 for the issues of 
bad-application of the EIA Directive. 

Coordination and integration 

The Czech Republic has adopted its national SD Strategy 
already  in  2004,  the  currently  valid  dates  to  2010.99 
Though  several  other  strategies  have  been  developed100 

96 The Czech Republic was the only Member State in a considerable risk 
of interruption of EU funds 2014-2020 for the ex-ante conditionality 
related to the Environmental Impact Assessment. The risk was 
eliminated by the adoption of the amendment of the EIA law in April 
2015 in response to second horizontal EIA infringement 

97 The amended EIA Act introduces e.g. coherence check, however only 
projects with "full" EIAs are covered. Also, it requires the verification 
of old non-binding EIA Statements, for which new EIA process is 
inevitable in cases of some projects (projects with EIAs pursuant to 
the 1992 EIA Act)        

98 In order to allow key transport projects to be early implemented, nine 
infrastructure projects with EIAs pursuant to 1992 EIA Act will be 
subject to an accelerated procedure provided by the Government 
Resolution adopted in June 2016, while almost 90 would undergo an 
updated EIA. 

99 http://www.mzp.cz/cz/udrzitelny_rozvoj  
100 Regional Development Strategy of the CZ (2013) 
Secondary Raw Materials Policy of the CZ (2014) 

Environmental Implementation Report6 – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
                                                                                                 
liability 

withdrawal of a permit), use of criminal law104 and action 
law  (e.g.  required  remediation  after 
under 
damage  from  an  accident  using 
liability  rules)  and 
contractual  law  (e.g.  measures  to  require  compliance 
with  nature  conservation  contracts).  Taken  together,  all 
of these interventions represent "compliance assurance" 
as shown in Figure 13. 

Best  practice  has  moved  towards  a  risk-based  approach 
at strategic and operational levels in which the best mix 
of compliance monitoring, promotion and enforcement is 
directed at the most serious problems. Best practice also 
recognises  the  need  for  coordination  and  cooperation 
between  different  authorities  to  ensure  consistency, 
avoid  duplication  of  work  and  reduce  administrative 
burden. Active participation in established pan-European 
networks  of  inspectors,  police,  prosecutors  and  judges, 
such as IMPEL105, EUFJE106, ENPE107 and EnviCrimeNet108, 
is  a  valuable  tool  for  sharing  experience  and  good 
practices. 

Figure 13: Environmental compliance assurance 

Czech Republic  23 

evaluation110.  

responsibilities 

The 
it  exercises  across  different 
environmental  policy  areas  should  put  the  Czech 
Environmental Inspectorate (CEI)111 in a good position to 
undertake  both  strategic  and  operational  risk-based 
compliance  assurance.  The  CEI  operates  an  informative 
web-site on which annual activities reports are published, 
including statistical information112. Evidence was found of 
use  of  risk-based  approaches  to  target  environmental 
inspections  for  industrial  installations,  but  with  certain 
limitations.  
The  CEI  has  established  cooperation  with  other 
authorities with relevant functions but the cooperation is 
not based on formal agreements113. The Czech Republic is 
active  within  IMPEL  and  EnviCrimeNet  and  hosted  an 
IMPEL  peer  review  in  2015  and  the  2016  EnviCrimeNet 
annual conference. 

Up-to-date information is nevertheless lacking in relation 
to the following: 

 

  data-collection  arrangements  to  track  the  use  and 
effectiveness  of  different  compliance  assurance 
interventions; 
the extent to which risk-based methods are used to 
direct  compliance  assurance  at  the  strategic  level 
in  relation  to  critical  activities  outside  of 
and 
industrial 
in  specific 
problem-areas highlighted elsewhere in this Country 
Report,  i.e.  the  threats  to  protected  habitat  types 
and  species,  air  quality  breaches  and  the  pressures 
on water quality from diffuse water pollution; 

in  particular 

installations, 

Currently, there exist a number of sectoral obligations on 
inspections  and  the  EU  directive  on  environmental 
liability  (ELD)109  provides  a  means  of  ensuring  that  the 
"polluter-pays  principle" 
is  applied  when  there  are 
accidents  and  incidents  that  harm  the  environment. 
information  giving 
There 
insights  into  existing  strengths  and  weaknesses  in  each 
Member State.  

is  also  publically  available 

For  each  Member  State,  the  following  were  therefore 
reviewed:  use  of  risk-based  compliance  assurance; 
coordination  and  co-operation  between  authorities  and 
participation in pan-European networks; and key aspects 
of implementation of the ELD based on the Commission's 
recently  published  implementation  report  and  REFIT 

104European Union, Environmental Crime Directive 2008/99/EC 
105 European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement 

of Environmental Law 

106 European Union Forum of judges for the environment  
107 The European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment  
108 EnviCrimeNet  
109 European Union, Environmental Liability Directive 2004/35/CE 

  how  the  Czech  authorities  ensure  a  targeted  and 
proportionate  response  to  different  types  of  non-
compliant  behaviour,  given  that  environmental 
inspectors have a limited set of enforcement tools114.  
The  Czech  Republic  has  established  mandatory  financial 
security  for  liabilities  under  the  Environmental  Liability 
Directive (ELD) from 2013 on. There have been no cases 
of confirmed environmental damage under the Directive, 
but  15  cases  were  reported  as  dismissed  in  the  period 
between 2007 and 2013, and a few cases were initiated 

110 COM(2016)204 final and COM(2016)121 final of 14.4.2016. This 

highlighted the need for better evidence on how the directive is used 
in practice; for tools to support its implementation, such as guidance, 
training and ELD registers; and for financial security to be available in 
case events or incidents generate remediation costs. 

111. See for details http://www.cizp.cz/lang/l2  
112 http://www.cizp.cz/Annual-Report. The reports are structured per 

environmental policy-subject areas and include, inter alia, 
information on number of inspections undertaken, penalties 
imposed and a more detailed description of major cases with naming 
the non-compliant duty-holders. The data covers mostly output 
parameters rather than information and analysis of the outcomes of 
compliance assurance work.  

113 http://www.cizp.cz/file/Ot3/Czech-IRI-Report-Final-v-14-01-16.pdf 
114 The IMPEL 2015 IRI report (p. 3 and 34-35) observes that fines are 
the most commonly used instrument which however are often low 
and have little deterrent effect.  

Environmental Implementation Report6 – Czech Republic 

 
 
                                                            
                                                            
upon public requests. 

Suggested action 

ensured in multi-stage system.  

Suggested action 

Czech Republic  24 

  Improve 

transparency  on 

the  organisation  and 
functioning  of  compliance  assurance  and  on  how 
significant risks are addressed, as outlined above.  

greater  participation  of 
competent 
in  the  activities  of  ENPE,  EUFJE  and 

  Encourage 
authorities 
EnviCrimeNet. 
  Step  up  efforts 

implementation  of  the 
Environmental  Liability  Directive  (ELD)  with  proactive 
initiatives, in particular by drafting national guidance.  

in  the 

Public participation and access to justice 

The  Aarhus  Convention,  related  EU  legislation  on  public 
participation and environmental impact assessment, and 
the case-law of the Court of Justice require that citizens 
and  their  associations  should  be  able  to  participate  in 
decision-making  on  projects  and  plans  and  should  enjoy 
effective environmental access to justice. 

Citizens  can  more  effectively  protect  the  environment  if 
they can rely on the three "pillars" of the Convention on 
Access  to  Information,  Public  Participation  in  Decision-
making  and  Access  to  Justice  in  Environmental  Matters 
("the  Aarhus  Convention").  Public  participation  in  the 
administrative  decision  making  process  is  an  important 
element to ensure that the authority takes its decision on 
the  best  possible  basis.  The  Commission  intends  to 
examine compliance with mandatory public participation 
requirements more systematically at a later stage. 

Access  to  justice  in  environmental  matters  is  a  set  of 
guarantees  that  allows  citizens  and  their  associations  to 
challenge  acts  or  omissions  of  the  public  administration 
before  a  court. 
for  decentralised 
It 
implementation of EU environmental law. 

is  a 

tool 

For  each  Member  State,  two  crucial  elements  for 
effective  access  to  justice  have  been  systematically 
reviewed:  the  legal  standing  for  the  public,  including 
NGOs and the extent to which prohibitive costs represent 
a barrier. 

In the Czech Republic the costs to bring an environmental 
case  to  the  national  courts  are  not  considered  as  being 
prohibitively  high.  However,  the  Czech  Republic  had  for 
long period shortcomings in providing the public, notably 
individuals  and  NGOs,  with  legal  standing  which  would 
allow  them  to  initiate  court  actions  in  environmental 
matters115  and  to  challenge  the  substantial  breaches  of 
their  rights.    For  the  EIA,  the  situation  was  in  principle 
addressed  with  the  amendment  of  the  EIA  Act,  which 
came  into  force  in  April  2015,  while  access  to  justice  is 
applicable  also  outside  the  EIA  context  and  has  to  be 

  Take  the  necessary  measures  to  ensure  standing  of 
environmental NGOs to challenge acts or omissions of 
a public authority in all sectoral EU environmental laws, 
law  as  well  as  the 
in  full  compliance  with  EU 
Convention  on  Access 
Information,  Public 
to 
Participation  in  Decision-making  and  Access  to  Justice 
in environmental matters (Aarhus Convention).  

Access to information, knowledge and 
evidence 

The  Aarhus  Convention  and  related  EU  legislation  on 
access  to  information  and  the  sharing  of  spatial  data 
require that the public has access to clear information on 
the environment, including on how Union environmental 
law is being implemented. 

authorities 

public 
the  public, 

and 
increasingly 

It is of crucial importance to public authorities, the public 
and business that environmental information is shared in 
an  efficient  and  effective  way.  This  covers  reporting  by 
active 
and 
businesses 
dissemination 
through 
to 
electronic means. 
The  Aarhus  Convention116,  the  Access  to  Environmental 
Information  Directive117  and  the  INSPIRE  Directive118 
together  create  a  legal  foundation  for  the  sharing  of 
environmental  information  between  public  authorities 
and with the public. They also represent the green part of 
the  ongoing  EU  e-Government  Action  Plan119.  The  first 
to  provide 
two 
information  to  the  public,  both  on  request  and  actively. 
The  INSPIRE  Directive  is  a  pioneering  instrument  for 
electronic  data-sharing  between  public  authorities  who 
can  vary  in  their  data-sharing  policies,  e.g.  on  whether 
access to data is for free. The INSPIRE Directive sets up a 
geoportal which indicates the level of shared spatial data 
in  each  Member  State  –  i.e.  data  related  to  specific 
locations,  such  as  air  quality  monitoring  data.  Amongst 
it  facilitates  the  public  authorities' 
other  benefits 
reporting obligations.  

create  obligations 

instruments 

For  each  Member 
accessibility  of 
State, 
environmental data (based on what the INSPIRE Directive 
envisages)  as  well  as  data-sharing  policies  ('open  data') 

the 

116 UNECE, 1998. Convention on Access to Information, Public 
Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in 
Environmental Matters 

117 European Union, Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to 

environmental information 

118 European Union, INSPIRE Directive 2007/2/EC 
119 European Union, EU eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020 - 

115 See study on access to justice in environmental matters in 

2012/2013 

Accelerating the digital transformation of government COM(2016) 
179 final 

Environmental Implementation Report6 – Czech Republic 

 
                                                            
                                                            
Czech Republic  25 

have been systematically reviewed120.  

Czech Republic's performance on the implementation of 
the  INSPIRE  Directive  as  enabling  framework  to  actively 
disseminate  environmental  information  to  the  public  is 
good, but leaves room for further improvement.  

Czech  Republic  has  indicated  in  the  3-yearly  INSPIRE 
implementation report121 that the necessary data-sharing 
policies  allowing  access  and  use  of  spatial  data  by 
national 
States' 
administrations,  other  Member 
administrations  and  EU  institutions  without  procedural 
obstacles  are  not  yet  fully  available  and  implemented. 
The use and sharing of data has improved, but different 
licensing approaches still pose a major barrier. The Czech 
Republic  aims  at  solving  existing  licensing  issues  for 
spatial  information  by  2020.  In  this  respect,  INSPIRE 
Coordination  Committee  of  the  Czech  Republic  has 
approved  a  set  of  actions  aiming  at  unique  licence 
approach applied on INSPIRE data. 
Assessments  of  monitoring  reports122  issued  by  Czech 
Republic and the spatial information that Czech Republic 
has  published  on  the  INSPIRE  geoportal123  indicate  that 
not all spatial information needed for the evaluation and 
implementation of EU environmental law has been made 
available  or  is  accessible.  So  far124,  84  %  (27  out  of  32 
themes  relevant  for  the  Czech  Republic)  of  information 
has  been  published  and  the  Czech  Republic  has  been 
constantly  working  on  its  commitment  to  make  all 
necessary data themes available before the end of 2016. 

Suggested action 

  Critically  review  the  effectiveness  of  its  data  policies 
into 
taking 

'best  practices' 

them, 

and  amend 
consideration.  

  Identify and document all spatial data sets required for 
the  implementation  of  environmental  law,  and  make 
the  data  and  documentation  at  least  accessible  'as  is' 
to  other  public  authorities  and  the  public  through  the 
digital services foreseen in the INSPIRE Directive. 

120 Upon request by the Commission, most Member States provided an 
INSPIRE Action Plan addressing implementation issues. These plans 
are currently being assessed by the Commission.   

121 European Commission, INSPIRE reports 
122 Inspire indicator trends  
123  Inspire Resources Summary Report 
124 As of August 2016 

Environmental Implementation Report6 – Czech Republic