COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Environmental Implementation Review 2022 Country Report - CZECHIA 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 Environmental Implementation Review 2022: Turning the tide through environmental compliance
Date: 2022-09-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: Czechia, EU environmental policy, application of EU law, biodiversity, circular economy, climate change policy, environmental law, governance, pollution control measures, waste management

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 8.9.2022  SWD(2022) 264 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Environmental Implementation Review 2022                  Country Report - CZECHIA                       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 Environmental Implementation Review 2022: Turning the tide through environmental compliance {COM(2022) 438 final} - {SWD(2022) 252 final} - {SWD(2022) 253 final} - {SWD(2022) 254 final} - {SWD(2022) 255 final} - {SWD(2022) 256 final} - {SWD(2022) 257 final} - {SWD(2022) 258 final} - {SWD(2022) 259 final} - {SWD(2022) 260 final} - {SWD(2022) 261 final} - {SWD(2022) 262 final} - {SWD(2022) 263 final} - {SWD(2022) 265 final} - {SWD(2022) 266 final} - {SWD(2022) 267 final} - {SWD(2022) 268 final} - {SWD(2022) 269 final} - {SWD(2022) 270 final} - {SWD(2022) 271 final} - {SWD(2022) 272 final} - {SWD(2022) 273 final} - {SWD(2022) 274 final} - {SWD(2022) 275 final} - {SWD(2022) 276 final} - {SWD(2022) 277 final} - {SWD(2022) 278 final}  
 
 
Czechia  1 

This  report  has  been  written  by  the  staff  of  the  Directorate-General  for  Environment,  European  Commission. 
Comments are welcome. Please send them to : ENV-EIR@ec.europa.eu  

More information on the European Union is available at http://europa.eu. 

Photographs:  

For reproduction or use of these photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder. 

©European Union, 2022 

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Table of Contents 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................... 3 

PART I: THEMATIC AREAS ...................................................................................................................................... 4 

1. 

CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................... 4 

Measures towards a circular economy ................................................................................................................ 4 
Waste management ............................................................................................................................................. 6 

2. 

BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL CAPITAL ................................................................................................................. 9 

Nature protection and restoration ...................................................................................................................... 9 
Ecosystem assessment and accounting ............................................................................................................. 14 

3. 

ZERO POLLUTION.......................................................................................................................................... 16 

Clean air ............................................................................................................................................................. 16 
Industrial emissions ........................................................................................................................................... 17 
Major industrial accidents prevention – SEVESO ............................................................................................... 20 
Noise .................................................................................................................................................................. 21 
Water quality and management ........................................................................................................................ 21 
Chemicals ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 

4. CLIMATE ACTION .............................................................................................................................................. 27 

Key national climate policies and strategies ...................................................................................................... 27 
Effort sharing target ........................................................................................................................................... 27 
Key sectoral developments ................................................................................................................................ 28 
Use of revenues from the auctioning of EU ETS allowances .............................................................................. 29 

PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS .............................................................................. 30 

5. FINANCING ...................................................................................................................................................... 30 

Environmental investment needs in the European Union ................................................................................. 30 
EU environmental funding 2014-2020 ............................................................................................................... 32 
EU environmental funding  2021-2027 .............................................................................................................. 33 
National environmental protection expenditure ............................................................................................... 35 
Green budget tools ............................................................................................................................................ 37 
Overall financing compared to the needs .......................................................................................................... 38 

6. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE ........................................................................................................................... 40 

Information, public participation and access to justice ..................................................................................... 40 
Compliance assurance ....................................................................................................................................... 41 
Effectiveness of environmental administrations ............................................................................................... 43 
Reforms through the Commission’s Technical Support Instrument .................................................................. 44 
TAIEX EIR Peer to Peer Project ........................................................................................................................... 44 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
Czechia  3 

Executive summary 

challenges 

In  previous  Environmental  Implementation  Reviews  the 
the 
main 
implementation  of  EU  environmental  policy  and  law 
were:  

for  Czechia 

identified 

for 

 

 

 

to step-up efforts to put the necessaryinfrastructure 
and  conditions  in  place  to  move  towards  a  circular 
economy;  
to  improve  air  quality  in  critical  regions  of  the 
country,  especially  in  urban  areas  and  to  decrease 
the pressure on water and nature ecosystems;  
to  create  transparent  and  effective  permitting 
procedures  while  ensuring    compliance  with  EU 
legislation,  especially  on  public  participation  and 
access to justice;  

While  a full assessment  is pending,  Czechia  seems  to  be 
on  track  to  meet  the  EU’s  2020  recycling  target,  on  the 
basis  of  the  methodology  chosen  by  the  authorities. 
However, greater efforts are still needed to comply with 
the  post-2020  recycling  targets  set  out  in  the  revised 
Waste  Framework  Directive,  as 
the  main  waste 
treatment  option  is  still  landfilling  and  the  diversion 
targets  for  biodegradable  waste  are  not  yet  met. 
Although Czechia has steadily improved  on some circular 
economy  indicators,  ambitious  measures  set  out  in  the 
EU  Circular  Economy  Action  Plan  still  need  to  be 
implemented.  

to 

fulfil 

its  emission 

Air  quality  remains  a  significant  problem.  Although 
Czechia  projects 
reduction 
commitments  for  all  air  pollutants  covered  by  the 
National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive, the 
persistent  breaches  of  the  Ambient  Air  Quality  Directive 
requirements  –  mainly  the  exceedances  of  limit  values 
for  particulate  matter,  nitrogen  dioxide,  ozone  and 
benzo(a)pyrene  –  continue  to  cause  health  risks  for 
people living in Czechia.  

Although  the  designation  process  of  the  Natura  2000 
network  is  almost  complete,  achieving  the  objectives  of 
the  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  remains  a  challenge  for 
Czechia  as  for  other  MSs.  The  share  of  habitats  and 
species  in  a  good  conservation  status  increased  slightly 
between  the  two  reporting  periods  under  the  Habitats 
Directive  (2007-2012  and  2013-2018).  The  share  of 
habitats in a bad conservation status also increased while 
the  share  of  species  in  the  same  status  decreased. 
Czechia’s  biodiversity  together  with  the  forestry  and 
agriculture  sectors  are  exposed  to  climate  related  risks. 
Land use change is one important pressure also affecting 
people living in urbanised areas.  

Despite the progress made on reaching the objectives of 
the Water Framework Directive, it is not certain if this is 

sufficient to fulfil the obligations until 2027 and to reach 
a good water status of all water bodies. According to the 
water exploitation index, Czechia has the 4th lowest score 
in the EU, close to water scarcity values. 

EU financing continues to provide substantial support for 
the environmental implementation gap.Czechia is due to 
receive  EUR  7.1  billion  in  grants  in  2021-2026  in  its 
national Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and EUR 19.8 
billion  from  the  cohesion  policy  in  2021-2027.  Czechia’s 
environmental  financing  for  investments  was  estimated 
at 1.1% of GDP per year in 2014-2020.Over two thirds of 
these 
investments  rely  on  national  financing.  The 
country’s environmental investment needs in 2021-2027 
are estimated to reach over 1.43% of its GDP, suggesting 
a potential environmental financing gap of at least 0.32% 
of GDP. This can only be addressed by a continued strong 
commitment  to  the  environment,  including  through  the 
mobilisation  of  additional  financing  for  the  country’s 
remaining implementation priorities.  

Czechia    has  continued  to    improve  the  environmental 
infrastructure.  However,  it  needs  to  increase  its  level  of 
ambition if it is  to overcome remaining challenges an to 
meet the of the European Green Deal objectives. 

financing 
  RRP  to 

Czechia needs to harness the potential of Cohesion Funds 
the  measures 
and  national 
to  scale-up 
oulinedin 
implement  reforms  on:  (i) 
its 
management  of  drought  and  systemic  enhancement  of 
water retention in the  countryside; (ii) creation of forest 
resilient to climate change; and (iii) new circular economy 
framework.  It  needs  to  continue  its  sucessful  projects, 
like  the  national  scheme  for  exchanging  boilers  and 
improving  energy  efficiency  in  residential  and  public 
buildings.  At  the  same  time,  investments  to  potentially 
stranded  assets  are  to  be  avoided,  like  mechanical 
biological  treatment  or  waste-to-energy  facilities  and 
support  for  renewable  sources  of  energy  shall  respects 
the  'do  no  significant  harm'  (DNSH)  principle.  Finally, 
maximising  the  use  of  economic  instruments  to  ensure 
that  polluters  pay 
some 
is  also 
environmental sectors.  

relevant 

for 

Environmental  governance  seem  to  be  compromised  in 
environmental  decision-making  processes,  as  well  as 
access  to  justice  in  the  context  of  Czechia’s  legislative 
framework  on  granting  permits.  Further  streamlining  is 
level  of 
expected.  This 
environmental  protection  but  rather  use  the  flexibilities 
allowed under the EU environmental legislation.  

should  not 

lower 

the 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
Part I: Thematic areas 

1. Circular economy and waste management 

Measures towards a circular economy 

Figure 1: Circular material use rate (%), 2010-20202 

Czechia  4 

The new Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in March 
2020 is one of the main building blocks of the European 
Green Deal. The EU’s transition to a circular economy will 
reduce  pressure  on  natural  resources  and  will  create 
sustainable  growth  and  jobs.  It  is  also  a  prerequisite  to 
achieve  the  EU’s  2050  climate  neutrality  target  and  to 
halt  biodiversity 
loss.  The  Action  Plan  announces 
initiatives  along  the  entire  life  cycle  of  products,  aiming 
to reduce the EU's consumption footprint and to double 
the EU's circular material use rate by 2030. It targets how 
products  are  designed,  promotes  circular  economy 
processes,  encourages  sustainable  consumption,  and 
aims to ensure that waste is prevented and the resources 
used are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible.   

The  circular  material-use  rate  is  a  good  indicator  of  an 
economy’s circularity, as it includes all the materials that 
are  fed  back  into  our  economy.  Large  differences  in  the 
circularity  rate  exist  between  countries.  To  help  achieve 
the  goal  in  the  EU  circular  economy  action  plan  of 
doubling  the  EU’s  circular  material-use  rate  by  2030, 
ambitious  measures  targeting  the  whole  product  life 
cycle are needed at Member-State level. Such  measures 
range  from  sustainable  product  design  that  makes  it 
possible 
reparability, 
upgradability  and  recyclability  of  products,  to  other 
measures, 
increasing 
circularity  in  production  processes;  (iii)  recycling;  (iv) 
boosting eco-innovation; and (v) increasing the uptake of 
green public procurement. 

‘remanufacturing’1;  (ii) 

the  durability, 

increase 

like:  (i) 

to 

The  circular  (secondary)  use  of  material  in  Czechia  was 
7.6%  in  2016  and  rose  to  13.4%  in  2020,  above  the  EU 
average  of  12.8%,  demonstrating  a  steady  increase  in 
secondary  material  usage  in  the  country  over  the  past 
few years. 

Resource  productivity  expresses  how  efficiently  the 
economy  uses  material  resources  to  produce  wealth. 
Improving  resource  productivity  can  help  to  minimise 
impacts  on  the  environment  and  reduce 
negative 
dependency on volatile raw-material markets. 

As shown in Figure 2, with EUR 1.19 generated per kg of 
material  consumed  in  2020,  resource  productivity  in 
Czechia remained well below the EU average of EUR 2.09 
per kg. 

1 A standardized industrial process that takes place within industrial or 
factory  settings,  in  which  cores  are  restored  to  original  as-new 
condition and performance or better 

2 Eurostat, Circular Economy Monitoring Framework.  

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  5 

materials,  construction,  energy;  bioeconomics  and  food; 
consumption and consumers; waste management; water; 
research,  development  and  innovation;  education  and 
knowledge;  economic  instruments;  circular  cities  and 
infrastructure.  

Specific targets, goals and measures for plastics, textiles, 
construction  and  demolition  waste  are  set  in  the  Czech 
Waste  management  plan,  the  Czech  Waste  prevention 
programme  and  also  in  the  new  Circular  Czechia  2040 
strategy. 

Eco-innovation 

A  successful  transition  to  a  circular  economy  requires 
social  and  technological  innovation.  This  is  because  the 
full potential of the circular economy can only be reached 
when  it  is  implemented  across  all  value  chains.  Eco-
innovation is an important enabling factor for the circular 
economy.  New  approaches  to  product  design  and  new 
business  models  can  help 
to  produce  circularity 
innovations, creating new business opportunities. 

In 2021, Czechia ranked 14th on the 2021 Eco-innovation 
Index, with a total score of 111, classifying the country as  
an  ‘avergage  eco-innovation  performer.  In  3  out  of  5 
components 
innovation 
outputs  and  resource  efficiency  outcomes)  of  the  2021 
Index , Czechia performs below the EU average, while for 
eco-innovation activies and socio-economic outcomes,  it 
performs above the EU average. 

(eco-innovation 

inputs,  eco 

Figure 2: Resource productivity 2010-20203 

Circular economy strategies  

The  Commission  encourages  Member  States  to  adopt 
implement  national/regional  circular  economy 
and 
strategies covering the whole life cycle of products. This 
is  because  such  strategies  are  one  of  the  most  effective 
ways to progress towards a more circular economy. Since 
the  launch  of  the  online  European  Circular  Economy 
Stakeholder Platform in 20174, national, regional or local 
authorities  have  used  the  platform  to  share  their 
strategies and roadmaps. 

A  strategic  framework  for  Czechia’s  transition  to  a 
circular  economy  by  2040  (also  called  ‘Circular  Czechia 
2040’)  was  adopted  by  the  Czech  government 
in 
December 2021. The implementing action plan for 2022-
2027, currently under preparation, will set  specific goals 
and  measures  for  the  next  6  years.  It  is  expected  to  be 
adopted  in  Q4  2022,  with  a  strategic  environmental 
assessment 
the 
conducted 
environmental outcomes of the strategy. 

to  evaluate 

to  be 

The  finalisation  and  implementation  of  Circular  Czechia 
2040 has been included in the RRP as a part of a reform 
to be completed by Q4 2025.  

Circular Czechia 2040 sets out 10 priority areas related to 
the circular economy: products and design; industry, raw 

3 Eurostat, Resource productivity. 
4 Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
Czechia  6 

Figure 3: Eco-innovation performance 2010-20195 

Green public procurement 

Public  procurement  accounts  for  a  large  proportion  of 
European 
authorities’ 
consumption,  with  public 
purchasing  power  representing  around  14%  of  EU  GDP. 
Public  procurement  can  help  drive  the  demand  for 
sustainable  products 
reparability  and 
recyclability standards.  

that  meet 

In  2017,  The  Czechia  adopted  rules  to  ensure  a 
responsible  approach  to 
  public  procurement  and 
purchasing  by  the  State  and  local  governments.  Under 
the  public  procurement  law,  from  1  January  2021, 
contracting  authorities  must  comply  with 
social, 
environmental  and 
requirements  when 
purchasing goods and services. 

innovative 

EU Ecolabel and the eco-management and audit scheme 
(EMAS)  

The number of EU Ecolabel products and EMAS-licensed6 
organisations in a given country provides some indication 
of  the  extent  to  which  the  private  sector  and  national 
stakeholders  in  that  country  are  actively  engaged  in  the 
transition  to  a  circular  economy.  It  also  shows  how 

5  European  Commission  -  Directorate-General  for  Environment  (DG 
ENV),  Eco-innovation  Observatory,  Eco-innovation  scoreboard  and  the 
eco-innovation index. 
6  EMAS  is  the  European  Commission’s  Eco-Management  and  Audit 
Scheme, a programme to encourage organisations to behave in a more 
environmentally sustainable way. 

committed  public  authorities  are 
instruments designed to promote the circular economy. 

supporting 

to 

As of September 2021, Czechia had 5 187 products out of 
83 590, and 22 licences out of 2 057 registered in the EU 
Ecolabel  scheme,  showing  a  reasonable  take-up  of  the 
licences7.  Moreover,  18  organisations, 
products  and 
located across 44 sites are currently registered in EMAS, 
the  European  Commission's  Eco-Management  and  Audit 
Scheme8.  Since  the  2019  report,  there  have  been  5  093 
new  product  registrations  and  11  new  EU  Ecolabel 
licenses. However, EMAS organisation registrations have 
decreased by 6. 

2022 priority actions 

 

Speed  up  the  transition  towards  the  circular 
economy  in  all  economic  sectors,  including  by 
implementing Circular Czechia 2040.  

Waste management 

Turning waste into a resource is supported by:  
(i)  fully 
legislation,  which 
implementing  EU  waste 
includes  the  waste  hierarchy,  the  need  to  ensure 
separate  collection  of  waste,  the 
landfill  diversion 
targets, etc.;  
(ii) reducing waste generation and waste generation per 
capita in absolute terms;  
(iii)  limiting  energy  recovery  to  non-recyclable  materials 
and  phasing  out  landfilling  of  recyclable  or  recoverable 
waste. 

This  section  focuses  on  the  management  of  municipal 
waste9  for  which  EU 
law  sets  mandatory  recycling 
targets. 

resource  efficiency  and 

Preventing products and materials from becoming waste 
for  as  long  as  possible  is  the  most  efficient  way  to 
improve 
the 
environmental  impact  of  waste.  Waste  prevention  and 
reuse are the most preferred  options, and are therefore 
at  the  top  of  the  waste  hierarchy.  The  amount  of 
municipal  waste  generated  is  a  good  indicator  of  the 
effectiveness of waste-prevention measures. 

reduce 

to 

7 European Commission, Ecolabel Facts and Figures. 
8  As  of  May  2018.  European  Commission,  Eco-Management  and  Audit 
Scheme. 
9  Municipal waste consists of: (a) mixed waste and separately collected 
waste  from  households,  including  paper  and  cardboard,  glass,  metals, 
plastics,  bio-waste,  wood,  textiles,  packaging,  waste  electrical  and 
electronic  equipment,  waste  batteries  and  accumulators,  and  bulky 
waste, 
including  mattresses  and  furniture;  (b)  mixed  waste  and 
separately  collected  waste  from  other  sources,  where  such  waste  is 
similar in nature and composition to waste from households. (Directive 
2008/98/EC, Article 3(2)(b)).  

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
It 

in 

to 

rose 

recent 

Municipal  waste  generation  in  Czechia  has  started  to 
increase 
507  
years. 
kg/year/inhabitant in 2020, and is now slightly above the 
EU average (505  kg/year/inhabitant), as Figure 4 shows. 
However, the steep increase in 2017 is a result of a break 
in  time  series  according  to  Eurostat.  The  first  Waste 
Prevention Programme (WPP)10 was adopted 2014-2020, 
now integrated into the Waste Management Plan (WMP) 
2015-2024, currently under revision.  

to 

According 
the  European  Environment  Agency  
assessment  of  the  WPP11,  there  has  been  some 
decoupling  of  waste  generation  and  economic  growth 
since  2014,  altough  it  is  not  significant  enough  and  a 
longer time period is needed to confirm this trend12. This 
indicates that Czechia’s economic growth is not yet  fully 
decoupled  from  its  generation  of  waste.  The  Circular 
Czechia  2040  also  sets  out    goals  and  measures  that 
should help to achieve the decoupling. 

The  2019  EIR  pointed  out  discrepancies  between  the 
municipal  waste information  systems  of the   Ministry of 
Environment  and  the  Czech  Statistical  Office,  which 
resulted  in  significant  differences  in  data  sets  used  in 
national and regional WMPs for projections compared to 
data  reported  to  EurostatT.  According  to  the  Czech 
authorities,  discrepancies  between 
information 
systems  were  almost  eliminated  during  the  reporting 
period  and  a  new  Memorandum  of  Cooperation  was 
signed by both institutions in 2021. The Commission has 
not made any assessment in this regards13.    

the 

10 Program předcházení vzniku odpadů ČR (2014) | Databáze strategií - 
portál pro strategické řízení (databaze-strategie.cz) 
11  Measures  in  the  WPP  are  focused  especially  on  waste  prevention, 
while  decoupling  of  waste  generation  from  economic  growth  is  a 
secondary output. 
12  Czechia  waste  prevention  country  fact  sheet  2019  —  European 
Environment Agency (europa.eu) 
13 ESTAT data shows a break in data series between 2016 and 2017 

Czechia  7 

Figure  4:  Municipal  waste  by  treatment  in  Czechia, 
2010-202014 

Figure 4 also depicts the municipal waste by treatment in 
Czechia in terms of kg per capita. Landfilling remains the 
main  treatment  option,  well  above  the  EU  average  (at 
23%  in  2020),  which  is  the  main  problem  for  Czechia. 
Moreover, although the landfilling rate had been slightly 
decreasing  in  the  last  decade,  this  trend  seems  to  have 
reversed  over  the  latest  reporting  period  as  landfilling 
accounted for 49.2% in 2020, compared to 48.5% in 2018 
(2019  EIR).  This  suggests  a  correlation  with  increasing 
amounts of total waste generated in Czechia.     

As reported in th 2019 EIR, Czechia is struggling to meet 
EU  targets  on  diverting  of  biodegradable  waste  away 
from  landfills,  even  if  legislative  changes  should  have 
helped    to  bridge  this  implementation  gap.  Since  2015, 
municipalities  have  been  obliged  to  introduce  separate 
collection 
for  vegetable  biowaste,  however  only 
seasonally  until  2021,  when  it  also  became  compulsory 
also  for  vegetable  oils  and  fat.  There  is  no  obligation, 
however,  for  the  separate  collection  of  kitchen  animal 
waste.  Biowaste  still  accounted  for  more  than  30%  of 
mixed  municipal  waste15  in  2020  and  was  landfilled  or 
incinerated. At the same time, a ban on the landfilling of 
recyclable,  recoverable  and  mixed  municipal  waste 
originally  announced  for  2024  was  delayed  to  2030  by 
the 2021 Waste Act.  

Moreover,  Czechia  did  not  correctly  transpose  into  its 
legislation  the  obligation  of  pre-treatment 
national 
before landfilling. The Commission therefore sent a letter 
of formal notice to Czechia in April 202216. According to 
the  Commission  study  investigating  the  landfilling  of 

14 Eurostat, Municipal waste by waste operation, April 2022. 
15 Rozbory skladby směsného komunálního odpadu z obcí v roce 2020 – 
EKO-KOM (ekokom.cz) 
16  Waste:  Commission  calls  on  CZECHIA  to  improve  the  treatment  of 
waste 
infringements  package:  key  decisions 
(europa.eu) 

landfills.  April 

in 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
in  Member  States,  the 
untreated  municipal  waste 
selection  of  different  fractions  of  waste  and  the 
stabilisation of organic waste is not ensured in any of the 
five landfill sites visited. 

Incineration  and  energy  recovery  stood  at  15%  in  2020, 
still below the EU average but managing waste efficiently 
remains  an 
important  challenge  for  Czechia  amid 
concerns  over  planned  capacity  for  residual  waste 
treatment,  namely  waste-to-energy  set  out 
in  the 
national and regional WMPs under the revision. 

Figure 5: Recycling rate of municipal waste, 2010-202017 

34%  of  municipal  waste  is  recycled,  still  below  the  EU 
average  (46  %).  The  Commission's  2018  Early  Warning 
report'18 did not  list  Czechia  among the countries at risk 
of  missing  the  EU  2020  target  of  recycling  50 %  of 
municipal  waste.  The  Commission  is  currently  finalising 
its analysis of progress made on the recommendations in 
the  2018  Early  Warning  Reports  as  a  well  its  analysis  of 
progress  towards  achieving  the  2025  waste  recyling 
targets set out in the Waste Framework Directive19. This 
report  will  be  presented  at  the  end  of  2022.  Figure  5 
shows  that  Czechia  needs  to  step  up  investment  in 
recycling  to  meet  the  2025  recycling  targets,  as  already 
pointed out in the 2019 EIR. 

Implementation of the 2018 waste legislative package 

Czechia has notified the transposition of the 2018 waste 
package20 to the Commission. A conformity assessment is 
now ongoing. 

17 Eurostat, Recycling rate of municipal rate, April 2022. 
18  European  Commission,  Report  on  the  implementation  of  EU  waste 
legislation, including the early warning report for Member States at risk 
of missing the 2020 preparation for re-use/recycling target on municipal 
waste COM/2018/656 final 
19 Directive 1999/31/EC. 
20  Directive  (EU)  2018/851,  Directive  (EU)  2018/852,  Directive  (EU) 
2018/850  and  Directive  (EU)  2018/849  amend  the  previous  waste 

Czechia  8 

Implementation of the Single use plastics Directive  

By 3 July 2021 Member States had to bring their national 
laws  in  line  with  the  Single  use  Plastics  Directive.  Since 
Czechia  failed  to  notify  all  transposition  measures  by 
January  2022, 
initiated  an 
infringement procedure.  

the  Commission  has 

Waste  management  plans  and  waste  prevention 
programmes 

Waste Management Plans (WMPs) and Waste Prevention 
Programmes  (WPPs)  are 
instrumental  for  a  sound 
implementation of the EU waste legislation. They set out 
key  provisions  and  investments  to  ensure  compliance 
with  existing  and  new  legal  requirements  (e.g.  waste 
preventiion,  separate  collection for a  number of  specific 
waste  streams,  recycling  and  landfill  targets).  Revised 
plans and programmes were due on 5 July 2020.  

Czechia has revised its national WMP 2015-2024, but has 
not  yet  notified    it  the  Commission.  A  revised  WMP 
should  transposes  the  EU  2018  Waste  package  and  the 
2020 Circular Economy AP and was adopted with a slight 
delay  by  the  Government  in  the  first  half  of  202221. 
Regional plans should be prepared in the next 18 months. 
The  Commission  will  assess  whether  the  WMP  complies 
with Article 28 of the revised WFD.   

2022 priority actions 

Given the limited progress since the 2019 EIR, and in light 
of  the  Early  Warning  Report  to  be  released  in  2022,  a 
number  of  priority  actions  set  out  in  the  2019  EIR  are 
rolled over:  

 

(MBT) 

facilities 

treatment 

  Avoid  building  excessive  infrastructure  for  the 
treatment of residual waste, such as  mechanical 
biological 
or 
incinerators.  
Shift  reusable  and  recyclable  waste  away  from 
incineration by introducing incineration taxes.  
Improve  and  extend  the  separate  collection  of 
for  bio-waste.  Establish 
waste, 
separate 
for 
standards 
minimum 
collection  

including 
service 

 

  Use the economic instruments available, such as 

 

 

pay-as-you-throw 
Improve  the  functioning  of  Extended  Producer 
Responsibility  Systems  (EPR),  in  line  with  the 
general minimum requirements on EPR 
In  addition,  ensure  regional  WMPs  are  aligned 
revised  Waste  Framework  Directive.  
with 

legislation and set more ambitious recycling targets for the period up to 
2035. 
21 Materiál - Portál Aplikace ODok 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                                                        
 
2. Biodiversity and natural capital 

Czechia  9 

The 2030 EU biodiversity strategy adopted in May 2020 
aims to put the EU’s biodiversity on a path to recovery 
and  sets  out  new  targets  and  governance  mechanisms 
to achieve healthy and resilient ecosystems.  
In particular, the strategy sets out ambitious targets to: 
(i) protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s land area and 
30% of its sea area and integrate ecological corridors, as 
part of a true trans-European nature network;  
(ii) strictly protect at least a third of the EU’s protected 
areas,  including  all  remaining  EU  primary  and  old-
growth forests;  
(iii)  effectively  manage  all  protected  areas,  defining 
clear  conservation  objectives  and  measures,  and 
monitoring them appropriately.  
The strategy also sets out an EU nature restoration plan 
–  a  series  of  concrete  commitments  and  actions  to 
restore  degraded  ecosystems  across  the  EU  by  2030, 
and  manage  them  sustainably,  addressing  the  key 
drivers of biodiversity loss. 

the 
The  EU  Habitats  and  Birds  Directives  are 
cornerstone of EU legislation aimed at the conservation 
of the EU’s wildlife, natural habitats and ecosystems. As 
such  they  are  key  legislative  tools  to  deliver  on  the 
targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 203022.  

Czechia’s most recent biodiversity strategy  (2016-2025)  
was  adopted  in  2016.  It  sets  out  four  priorities  for  the 
protection and sustainable use of biodiversity23. 

Nature protection and restoration  

Natura  200024,  the  largest  coordinated  network  of 
protected  areas  in  the  world,  is  the  key  instrument  to 
achieve  the  objectives 
in  the  Birds  and  Habitats 
Directives.  These  objectives  are:  (i)  to  ensure  the  long-
term  protection,  conservation  and  survival  of  Europe's 
most valuable and threatened species and habitats; and 
(ii)  to  maintain  or  restore  the  favourable  conservation 
status  of  these  species  and  habitats.  Key  milestones 
towards  meeting  the  objectives  of  the  Birds  and 
Habitats Directives are: (i) the setting up of a  coherent 

22  These  should  be  strengthened  by  the  Nature  Restoration  Law, 
according to the new EU Biodiversity Strategy. 
23  
https://www.mzp.cz/web/edice.nsf/4A46CA81084E521FC125805000
2DAE0C/$file/SOBR_CR_2016-2025.pdf  
24  Natura  2000  comprises  ‘Sites  of  Community  Importance’  (SCIs) 
designated under the Habitats Directive as well as ‘Special Protection 
Areas’ (SPAs) classified under the Birds Directive. Coverage figures do 
not add up as because some SCIs and SPAs overlap. ‘Special Areas of 
Conservation’ (SACs) means an SCI designated by the Member States.  

Natura  2000  network;  (ii)  the  designation  of  sites  of 
community 
importance  (SCIs)  as  special  areas  of 
conservation (SACs), and (iii)  the setting of  site-specific 
conservation  objectives  and  measures  for  all  Natura 
2000  sites.  Natura  2000  network  can  contribute  to  the 
target of the 2030 EU biodiversity strategy - to protect a 
minimum of 30% of the EU’s land area  and 30% of the 
EU’s  sea  area  and  to  integrate  ecological  corridors,  as 
part of a true Trans-European Nature Network, however 
national  designation  schemes  are  key  in  achieving  this 
target. 

Setting up a coherent network of Natura 2000 sites 

Czechia  hosts  60  habitat  types25  and  173  species26 
covered  by  the  Habitats  Directive.  The  country  also 
hosts  populations  of  85  bird  taxa  listed  in  the  Birds 
Directive Annex I27.  

By 2021, 14.1% of the national  territory of Czechia was 
covered  by  Natura  2000  (EU  average  18.5%).  Special 
protection  areas  (SPAs)  classified  under  the  Birds 
Directive  covered  8.9%  (EU  average  12.8%)  and  SCIs 
designated  under the Habitats Directive  covered  10.1% 
(EU average: 14.2%) of the Czech territory. 

Considering  both  Natura  2000  and  other  nationally 
designated  protected  areas,  Czechia  legally  protects 
21,9% of its land (EU 27 average 26,4%)28. 

The  latest  assessment  of  the  SCI  part  of  the  Czech 
Natura  2000  network  shows  that  there  are  a  few 
remaining  insufficiencies  which  Czechia  has  committed 
is  an  ongoing 
itself  to  resolve  by  2023.  There 
these 
infringement  against  Czechia 
insufficiencies29. 

related 

to 

25 EEA, Article 17 dashboard, Annex I total, 2019. 
26  EEA,  Article  17  dashboard,  Annex  II  +  Annex  IV  excluding  those  in 
Annex  II  +  Annex  V  excluding  those  in  Annex  II,  2019.  This  counting 
only takes into account species and habitats for which assessment of 
conservation status was requested. 
27  EEA, Article  12  dashboard,  Annex  I,  2020. This counting  only  takes 
into account birds taxa for which information was requested. 
28  European  Environment  Agency  (EEA),  Protected  Areas,  terrestrial 
protected area percentage (2021), March 2022 
29 Biodiversity: Commission calls on CZECHIA to complete Natura 2000 
network.  
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/inf_19_6304  

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Czechia  10 

Figure 6: Terrestrial protected area coverage, 202130  

Figure  7:  Natura  2000  terrestrial  protected  area 
coverage, 202131  

Designating Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and 
setting conservation objectives and measures 

The  6-year  deadline  set  by  the  Habitats  Directive  to 
designate  SCIs  as  SACs  and  establish  site-specific 
conservation  objectives  and  measures  has  expired  for 
1,061 sites in Czechia. Of these, 989 have acquired SAC 
status (as of February 2021) and Czechia has committed 
itself to continue the process of SAC designation for all 
sites. 

in  maintaining  or  restoring 
Progress 
conservation status of species and habitats 

favourable 

To measure the performance of Member States, Article 
17  of  the  Habitats  Directive  and  Article  12  of  the  Birds 
Directive  require  reporting  on  the  progress  made 

30  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  Dashboard,  indicators  A1.1.1  and  A1.2.1, 
February 2022. 
31  European  Environment  Agency,  Natura  2000  Barometer,  February 
2022. 

towards  maintaining  or  restoring 
conservation status of species and habitats32. 

the 

favourable 

According  to  Czechia’s  report  for  2013-2018  on  the 
conservation  status  of  habitats  and  species  covered  by 
Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, the share of habitats 
assessed as being in good conservation status increased 
slightly since the previous reporting period (2007-2012), 
reaching  over  19%.  Similarly,  the  share  of  species 
assessed  as  being  in  good  conservation  status  also 
increased  to  over  30%  between  the  two  reporting 
periods.    Regarding  birds,  about  44%  of  the  breeding 
increasing  or  stable 
species  showed  short-term 
population  trends  while  the  same  figure  for  wintering 
species was 51%. 

Between  the  two  reporting  periods,  the  share  of 
habitats  assessed  as  being  in  bad  conservation  status 
also increased slightly to 30% while the same figure for 
species decreased to 26%. 

Figure  8:  Assessments  on  conservation  status  for 
habitats  for  2007-2012  and  2013-2018  reporting 
periods33  

32 Conservation status and trends of habitats and species — European 
Environment Agency (europa.eu)   
33  European  Environment  Agency,  Conservation  status  and  trends  of 
habitats  and  species,  December  2021.  Please  note  when  comparing 
the  figures  shown  for  2007-2012  and  2013-2018  these  may  also  be 
affected by changes of methods or due to better data availability. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Figure  9:  Assessments  on  conservation  status  for 
species 
for  2007-2012  and  2013-2018  reporting 
periods34 

Czechia  11 

organic farming to at least 25%.  

Czechia  with  an  estimated  15.33%  of  its  area  under 
organic farming is above the EU average of 9,07% (2020 
data, Eurostat)35. 

Figure  10:  Share  of  total  utilised  agricultural  area 
occupied by organic farming per Member State, 202036  

As mentioned above, the share of habitats and species 
in  good  conservation  status  increased  slightly  between 
the  two  reporting  periods,  while,  the  share  of  habitats 
in  bad  conservation  status  increased  and  the  share  of 
species in the same status decreased. Natural processes 
were  by  far  the  main    pressure  for  habitats  while  for 
species  the  main  pressures  were  agriculture,  natural 
processes and forestry. On the latter,  cases of massive 
logging  were  reported  in  Natura  2000  sites  such  as 
Východní  Krušnohoří  or  Soutok-Podluží  as  destroying 
the habitats of protected saproxylic beetles and birds. 

Bringing nature back to agricultural land and restoring 
soil ecosystems 

Agricultural land 

The biodiversity strategy works alongside the new farm 
to fork strategy and the new common agricultural policy 
(CAP)  to  support  and  achieve  the  transition  to  fully 
sustainable agriculture.  
The  biodiversity  and  farm  to  fork  strategies  have  set 
four important targets for 2030:  
- a 50% reduction in the overall use of – and risk from – 
chemical pesticides; 
-  a  50%  reduction  in  the  use  of  more  hazardous 
pesticides; 
-  a  50%  reduction  in  losses  of  nutrients  from  fertilisers 
while  ensuring  there  is  no  deterioration  of  soil  fertility 
(which  will  result  in  a  20%  reduction  in  the  use  of 
fertilisers);  
- bring back at least 10% of agricultural area under high-
diversity  landscape  features  and  increase  areas  under 

34 idem 

According  to  the  Commission’s  recommendations  for 
Czechia’s  common  agriculture  policy  (CAP)  strategic 
plan  (SP)37,  Czechia’s  agricultural  sector  should  take 
urgent action on the management of natural resources 
and  on  climate  change  mitigation,  notably  by: 
(i)accelerating  the  conversion  of  conventional  farming 
to  organic;  (ii)  reducing  greenhouse  gas  emissions  by 
supporting  practices  to  improve  soil  management  and 
substantially limiting NH3 emissions, and (iii) improving 
the conservation status of farm and forest habitats and 
applying  sustainable  forest  management  techniques  to 
strengthen the resilience of forest ecosystems. 

As  in  other  EU  countries,  Czechia’s  agriculture  and 
forestry sector are exposed to climate related risks due 
to  a  substantial  change  in  weather  patterns  in  the  last 
few years, typically taking the form of mild dry winters 
and  hot  summers  with  heavy  rain.  These  are  some  of 
the  factors  causing  droughts,  which  have  major  effects 
on  the  forestry  sector  where  a  large  area  of  spruce 
forest  is  being  felled  due  to  the  presence  of  bark 
beetles. 

Agriculture  is  one  of  the  biggest  pressures  affecting 
surface  waters  and  is  the  main  pressure  affecting 
ground  waters  and  Czechia  has  one  of  the  highest 
portions  in  the  EU  of  groundwater  bodies  failing  to 

35Area under organic farming Statistics | Eurostat (europa.eu) 
36 
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_02_40/default/
table?lang=en (Eurostat, Area under organic farming, February 2022). 
37 CAP strategic plans | European Commission (europa.eu) 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  12 

Czechia  ranks  well  above39  the  EU  average  with  a  net 
land  take  of  161,7  m2/km2  (EU-27  average:  83,8 
m2/km2).  

land 
In  2018,  Czechia  updated 
to 
degradation  according 
reporting 
platform40  with  actions 
intended  to  achieve  the 
degradation identified. 

its  reporting  on 
the  PRAIS3 

Figure  11:  Land  take  and  re-cultivation 
(m2/km2), 2012-201841 

in  EU27 

achieve  a  good  chemical  status  mainly  due  to  nitrate 
pollution. 

The  conservation  status  of  agricultural  habitats 
is 
broadly  assessed  as  unfavourable.  Natural  habitats  are 
usually quite small and fragmented in large agricultural 
areas,  occupying  mostly  marginal  areas,  with  ongoing 
degradation  and 
loss.  A  substantial  proportion  of 
productive agricultural land is managed in an intensive, 
profit-oriented way. 

Czechia  has  the  highest  average  size  of  agricultural 
holdings  in  the  EU.  Large-scale  agriculture  is  a  major 
cause  of  natural  habitat  decline  and  of  a  low  water 
retention.  This  is  due  to  extreme  scarcity  of  landscape 
features  like  grass  margins,  shrub  margins,  single  tree 
bushes, lines of trees, hedges and ditches. 

Soil ecosystem 

soil 

new 

strategy, 

Soil  is  a  finite  and  extremely  fragile  resource.  It  is 
increasingly degrading in the EU. 
on 
adopted 
EU 
The 
17 November 2021,  stresses  the 
importance  of  soil 
protection,  of  sustainable  soil  management  and  of 
restoring  degraded  soils  to  achieve  the  Green  Deal 
objectives  as  well  as  land  degradation  neutrality  by 
2030.  
This entails:  
(i) preventing further soil degradation;  
(ii)  making  sustainable  soil  management  the  new 
normal;  
(iii) taking action for ecosystem restoration. 

One factor in the degradation of soil ecosystems is the 
area  of  soil  that  is  sealed  or  artificialised38.  In  Czechia 
(Figure 11), the land taken per year in 2012-2018 can be 
seen as a measure of one significant pressure on nature 
and  biodiversity  –  land-use  change.  At  the  same  time,  
land-use  change  constitues  an  environmental  pressure 
on people living in urbanised areas.  

Despite  a  reduction  in  the  last  decade  (land  take  was 
over  1000  km2/year  between  2000-2006),  land  take  in 
EU-28 still amounted to 539 km2/year in 2012-2018. The 
concept  of ‘net  land take’ combines land take with the 
return  of  land  to  non-artificial  land  categories  (re-
cultivation).  While  some  land  was  re-cultivated  in  the 
EU-28 in 2000-2018, 11 times more land was taken than 
returned. 

38 Artificial  land cover  is defined as the total of roofed built-up areas 
(including  buildings  and  greenhouses),  artificial  non  built-up  areas 
(including sealed area features, such as yards, farmyards, cemeteries, 
car  parking  areas  etc.  and  linear  features,  such  as  streets,  roads, 
railways, runways, bridges) and other artificial areas (including bridges 
and  viaducts,  mobile  homes,  solar  panels,  power  plants,  electrical 
substations, pipelines, water sewage plants, and open dump sites). 

the 

In  2015,  the  United  Nations  Convention  to  Combat 
Desertification  reached  an  agreement42  to  endorse  a 
vision of land-degradation neutrality and link this vision 
to 
the  UN’s  sustainable 
development goals (SDGs) in general, and to SDG 15.343 
in particular. Czechia has not yet committed to set land 
under  UNCCD 
degradation 
agreement44.  

implementation  of 

neutrality 

targets 

Forests and timber 

The EU forest strategy for 2030, adopted in July 2021, is 
part  of  the  Fit  for  55  package.  The  strategy  promotes 
the many services that forests provide. Its key objective 
is  to  ensure  healthy,  diverse  and  resilient  EU  forests 
the  strengthened 
that  contribute  significantly 

to 

39 Land take  in Europe — European Environment Agency (europa.eu) 
fig 6 
40 All Reports | Prais3 (unccd.int) 
41 European Environment Agency, Land take in Europe.  
42 The LDN Target Setting Programme | UNCCD. 
43  ‘By  2030,  combat  desertification,  restore  degraded  land  and  soil, 
including  land  affected  by  desertification,  drought  and  floods,  and 
strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.’  
44  The LDN Target Setting Programme | UNCCD 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  13 

biodiversity and climate ambitions.   
Forests are important carbon sinks and conserving them 
is vital if the EU is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. 

Article 20 of the EUTR, reporting every 2 years has been 
changed  to  annual  reporting,  and  covers  the  calendar 
year as of 2019.  

Of  the  27%  of  EU  forest  area  protected  under  the 
Habitats Directive, less than 15% of assessments show a 
favourable conservation status45. The  share of  forested 
areas in the EU with a bad conservation status increased 
from 27% in 2015 to 31% in 201846. 

In  Czechia,  forests  cover  35,6%  of  territory47  and  more 
than  90%  of  the  assessments  reveal  a  bad  to  poor 
status.  10  000  ha  in  Czechia  is  covered  by  primary 
forests48, 49. 

Figure  12:    Conservation  status  of  forests  protected 
under  the  Habitats  Directive  in  EU  Member  States, 
2013-2018 (% assessments)50 

Between  March  2017  and  February  201952,  Czechia 
carried out 116 checks on domestic timber operators. It 
also  carried  out  83  checks  on  operators  importing 
timber.  It  is  estimated  that  Czechia  had  300  000 
operators placing domestic and 2 500 operators placing 
imported  timber  types  onto  the  internal  market  over 
the reporting period. 

The  new  Deforestation  Regulation  will  repeal  and 
replace  the  EUTR,  as  it  will  essentially  integrate  and 
improve  the  existing  system  to  check  the  legality  of 
timber. 

Invasive alien species (IAS) 

in 

and 

land 

changes 

IAS  are  a  key  cause  of  biodiversity  loss  in  the  EU 
(alongside 
use, 
sea 
overexploitation, climate change and pollution).  
Besides  inflicting  major  damage  on  nature  and  the 
economy, many invasive alien species also facilitate the 
outbreak  and  spread  of  infectious  diseases,  posing  a 
threat to humans and wildlife.  
The  implementation  of  the  EU  Invasive  Alien  Species 
Regulation  and  other  relevant 
legislation  must  be 
stepped up.  
The  biodiversity  strategy  for  2030  aims  to  manage 
recognised  invasive  alien  species  and  decrease  the 
number of 'red list' species they threaten by 50%. 

The core of Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on invasive alien 
species53 (‘the IAS Regulation’) is the list of IAS of Union 
concern.  

The  total  number  of  IAS  of  Union  concern  is  currently 
66,  of  which:  30  are  animal  species;  36  are  plant 
species;  41  are  primarily  terrestrial  species;  23  are 
primarily  freshwater  species;  1  is  a  brackish-water 
species; and 1 is a marine species. 

According  to  the  2021  report54,  the  implementation  of 
the  IAS  Regulation  is  already  starting  to  deliver  on  its 
objectives such as a coherent framework for addressing 
IAS at EU level and increased awareness of the problem 
of  invasive  alien  species.  However,  the  report  also 

52 COM/2020/629 final 
53  Regulation  (EU)  No  1143/2014  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of 
the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of 
the introduction and spread of invasive alien species 
54  Report  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council  on  the  review  of  the  application  of  Regulation  (EU)  No 
1143/2014  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  22 
October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction 
and spread of invasive alien species, COM(2021) 628 final, 13.10.2021 

(EUTR)51, 
The  European  Union  Timber  Regulation 
prohibits  the  placing  on  the  EU  market  of  illegally 
In  accordance  with  the  EUTR, 
harvested  timber. 
Member  States’  competent  authorities  must  conduct 
regular  checks  on  operators  and  traders,  and  apply 
penalties  for  non-compliance.  With  the  amendment  of 

in 

of 

the 

The 

nature 

European 

45 EEA, State of Nature in the EU 
46 
Union 
state 
Report on the status and trends in 2013 - 2018 of species and habitat 
types protected by the  Birds and Habitats Directives. COM/2020/636 
final. 
47 EEA, Forest information system for Europe 
48 JCR, Mapping and assessment of primary and old-growth forests in 
Europe, p. 13. 
49 According to Czech authorities, Czech legislation defines the highest 
level  of  naturality  as  "native  forest",  which  can  be  understood  as 
"primary forest", nevertheless it is defined on a narrower scale than in 
JRC study. 
50  European  Environment  Agency,  Conservation  status  and  trend  in 
conservation status by habitat group - forests, January 2022.  
51 Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 20 October 2010. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
identified challenges and areas for improvement. Given 
that the deadlines for  the various obligations under the 
IAS Regulation applied gradually between July 2016 and 
July  2019,  it  is  premature  to  draw  conclusions  on 
implementation  of  the  IAS 
several  aspects  of  the 
Regulation. 

A 2021 report55 on the baseline distribution shows that 
of  the  66  species  on  the  Union  list,  17  have  been 
observed  in  the  environment  in  Czechia.  The  spread  is 
shown in the Figure 16. 

Figure  13:  Number  of  invasive  alien  species  of  EU 
georeferenced 
based 
concern, 
information for Czechia, 2021 

available 

on 

An infringement case has been launched against Czechia 
for failing to draw up a and implement one single action 
plan or set of action plans as required by Article 13 of of 
the  IAS  Regulation  by  13  July  2019  and  to  submitt 
it/them to the Commission without delay56. 

2022 priority actions 

 

 

Establish  site-specific  conservation  objectives 
and measures for all  sites  where management 
plans are missing. pPovide adequate resources 
for their implementation.  Ensure that forestry 
management  plans  are  assessed  according  to 
EU  law  to  avoid  the  deterioration  of  Natura 
2000 sites. 
Further  ntegratebiodiversity  issues  into  other 
policies  (in  particular  agriculture,  forestry,  fish 

55  Cardoso  A.C.,  Tsiamis  K.,  Deriu  I.,  D'  Amico  F.,  Gervasini  E.,  EU 
Regulation  1143/2014:  assessment  of  invasive  alien species of  Union 
concern  distribution,  Member  States  reports  vs  JRC  baselines,  EUR 
30689  EN,  Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union,  Luxembourg, 
2021, ISBN 978-92-76-37420-6, doi:10.2760/11150, JRC123170. 
56 Biodiversity: Commission calls on 18 Member States to protect the 
environment  against 
infringements 
package: key decisions (europa.eu) 

invasive  alien  species:  June 

Czechia  14 

infrastructure 

and  urban 

and 
farming, 
development). 
Complete 
process. 

 

the  Natura  2000  designation 

  Reduce  pressure  from  the  agricultural  sector 

 

 

forest  management 

on natural resources.  
Improve incentives for foresters and farmers to 
better  protect  forests  and  landscape.  Ensure 
through 
sustainable 
effective planning, taking account of ecosystem 
services provided by forests. 
Take  the  necessary  steps  to  ensure  full 
compliance  with the requirements specified in 
Article 13 of the IAS Regulation. 

Ecosystem assessment and accounting  

The  EU  biodiversity  strategy  for  2030  calls  on  Member 
States  to  better  integrate  biodiversity  considerations 
into  public  and  business  decision-making  at  all  levels 
and to develop natural capital accounting. The EU needs 
a  better  performing  biodiversity  observation  network 
and  more  consistent  reporting  on  the  condition  of 
ecosystems. 

An ecosystem assessment is an analysis of the pressures 
on  –  and  the  condition  of  –  terrestrial,  freshwater  and 
marine  ecosystems  and  their  services.  It  uses  spatially 
explicit  data  and  a  comparable  methodology  based  on 
European data about the functions of  ecosystem assets 
and the ecosystem services they produce.  

Ecosystem  accounting  is  built  on  five  core  accounts 
(ecosystem  extent,  ecosystem  condition,  physical 
ecosystem  services,  monetary  ecosystem  services  and 
monetary  ecosystem  assets).  These  accounts  are 
compiled  using  indicators  of  ecosystem  assets  and  the 
ecosystem services they produce.  

Czechia  has  used  field  surveys  to  map  habitats  since 
2001.  Data  were  complemented  by  remote  sensing, 
making  the  ecosystem  mapping  complete.  Information 
on  structure  and  functions  of  semi-natural  habitats 
together  with  other  data  sources  (agro-environmental 
schemes,  Water  Framework  Directive,  etc.)  was  also 
usedto  estimate  the  condition  of  ecosystems.  A  study 
on  ecosystem  services  was  completed  in  2013.  Either 
biophysical  quantities  or  socio-economic  values  were 
derived  for  17  services  on  the  basis  of  benefit/value 
implementation  and 
transfer.  Outcomes  still  await 
policy  support  is  needed  gather  sector-specific.  As 
Czechia  has  not  provided  updated  information,  no 
progress has been recorded  since  January 2016 (Figure 
14).  This  assessment  is  based  on  27  implementation 
questions and updated every 6 months. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  15 

Figure 14: ESMERALDA MAES Barometer (January 2016 
- March 2021)57 

The key obstacles for developing ecosystem accounting 
in Czechia are data gaps and out of date data, a lack of 
clear guidelines to implement the SEEA framework and 
non-existing 
ecosystems 
accounting.  

demand 

political 

for 

Progress  on  ecosystem  accounting 
national level based on 13 questions (see Figure 15). 

is  assessed  at 

Figure 15: Ecosystem accounting Barometer58 

These difficulties can be explained by a lack of capacity 
and,  related  to  that,  a 
interest. 
Institutions  would  need  an  official  policy  enforcement 
to start working on the accounts. 

lack  of  political 

2022 Priority Actions 

 

Increase  training,  capacity  building  and  the  sharing 
of information and lessons learned by the MAIA MS 
to  helpCzechia  develop  a  pilot  ecosystem  account 
that  can  demonstrate 
its  usefulness  and  spark 
political interest. 

Agriculture,  water  management  and 
forestry  are 
considered  as  as  the  key    sectors  for  which  ecosystem 
accounting  should  be  applied.  A  recent  stakeholder 
consultation  also  pointed  out  the  value  of  urban 
accounts,  a  protected  landscape  extent  account  and 
thematic  accounts  for  carbon  and  biodiversity.  An 
ecosystem  extent,  condition  and  monetary  asset 
account was published for all ecosystems in Czechia. An 
update of the condition account is currently in progress. 
Ecosystem  accounts are under development for carbon 
filtration  and  nature-based 
sequestration,  water 
recreation  and  this  both  in  physical  and  monetary 
terms.  An  ecosystem  account  in  physical  terms  is  also 
being  developed  for  water  retention.  For  now  there  is 
no research on thematic accounts.  

57 European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Publication Office, EU 
Ecosystem  assessment:  summary  for  policymakers,  page  80,  May 
2021. 
58 Ecosystem accounting Barometer, September 2021: ‘“MAIA uses the 
System  of  Environmental  Economic  Accounting  –  Experimental 
Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EEA) as the methodological basis for the 
ecosystem accounting. The SEEA EA is an integrated an comprehensive 
statistical  framework  that  is  based  on  five  core  accounts:  ecosystem 
extent, condition, services and monetary ecosystem asset.”’. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
Czechia  16 

3. Zero pollution 

Clean air 

its 

EU  clean  air  policies  and  legislation  need  to  significantly 
improve air quality in the EU, moving the EU closer to the 
quality recommended by the WHO and curbing emissions 
of key air pollutants.  
Air  pollution  and 
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 EU clean air legislation and defining strategic targets 
and actions for 2030 and beyond.  
The 2030 zero pollution action plan targets are to reduce 
the health impacts of air pollution by 55% and to reduce 
the EU ecosystems threatened by air pollution by 25%. 

The  EU  has  developed  a  comprehensive  suite  of  air 
quality  legislation,  which  sets  health-based  air  quality 
standards59  and  emission  reduction  commitments60  by 
Member State for a number of air pollutants. 

Despite  the  overall  improvement  of  air  quality  and  the 
continuous  reduction  of  air  pollution,  air  quality  in 
Czechia  continues  to  give  cause  for  concern.  The  latest 
available  annual  estimates  (for  2019)  by  the  European 
Environment  Agency61  point  to  about  8  500  premature 
deaths  (or  95  000  years  of  life  lost  (YLL))  attributable  to 
fine particulate matter concentrations62, 460 (5 300 YLL) 
to ozone concentration63 and 190 (2 100 YLL) to nitrogen 
dioxide concentrations64, 65. 

Emissions  of  key  air  pollutants  have  decreased 
significantly  in  Czechia  over  the  last  years,  while  GDP 
growth  continued  (see  graph).  According  to  the  latest 
projections  as  submitted  under  Article  10(2)  of  the 
National  Emission  Reduction  Commitments  Directive 
(NECD)66  Czechia  projects  to  reach  emission  reduction 

59 European Commission, 2016. Air Quality Standards 
60 European Commission, Reduction of National Emissions 
61 European Environment Agency. Air Quality in Europe  – 2021 Report. 
Please  see  details 
in  this  report  as  regards  the  underpinning 
methodology, p.106. 
62  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. 
63 Low-level ozone is produced by photochemical action on pollution. 
64  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). 
65  Please  note  that  these  figures  refer  to  the  impacts  of  individual 
pollutants, and to avoid double-counting cannot be added up to derive 
a sum. 
66 Directive 2016/2284/EU 

commitments  for  all  air  pollutants  covered  by  the 
Directive  for  2020  -  2029  and  for  2030  onwards.  The 
latest  inventory  data  submitted  by  Czechia,  though  not 
yet reviewed by the Commission, indicates that Czechia is 
in compliance with the emission reduction commitments 
for all pollutants in 2020. 

Czechia  submitted  its  National  Air  Pollution  Control 
Programme on 20 December 2019. 

Figure  16:  Emission  trends  of  main  pollutants/GDP  in 
Czechia, 2005-201967 

Figure  17:  PM2.5  and  NOx  emissions  by  sector  in 
Czechia (2019)68 

67 European Environment Agency. 
68 European Environment Agency. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  17 

national  Air  act  in  2012.  In  May  2022,  the  deadline  has 
been  extended  by  two  years  until  September  2024. 
National  RRP  2021-2026  and  Programme  Environment 
2021-2027 will continue in supporting this scheme.   

Czechia  has  been  also  recommended  to  accelerate  the 
reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and nitrogen 
indicated  above, 
dioxide 
(NO2)  concentrations.  As 
in  reducing  the 
Czechia  has  made  some  progress 
concentrations  of  some  pollutants.  However,  additional 
efforts are still needed to ensure full compliance with the 
EU air quality legislation.  

2022 priority actions  

  As  a  part  of  the  National  Air  Pollution  Control 
Programme  (NAPCP),  actions  to  reduce  emissions 
from the main sources mentioned above. 

  Ensure  full  compliance  with  EU  air  quality  standards 
and  maintain  downward  emissions  trends  of  air 
pollutants,  to  reduce  their  adverse  effects  on  health 
and  the  economy  with  a  view  to  reaching  WHO 
guideline values in the future. 

Industrial emissions 

The  main objectives of EU policy on industrial  emissions 
are to:  
(i) protect air, water and soil;  
(ii) prevent and manage waste;  
(iii) improve energy and resource efficiency;  
(iv) clean up contaminated sites.  
To  achieve  this,  the  EU  takes  an  integrated  approach  to 
the  prevention  and  control  of  routine  and  accidental 
industrial emissions. The cornerstone of the policy is the 
Industrial  Emissions  Directive  (IED)75.  The  Commission 
tabled a proposal  in April  202276. The revision seeks to 
improve the Directive’s contribution to the zero-pollution 
objective, as well as its consistency with climate, energy 
and circular economy policies. 

The overview of industrial activities regulated by  the IED 
is based on data reported to the EU Registry (2018)77. 

In  2020,  exceedances  above  the  limit  values  established 
by  the  Ambient  Air  Quality  Directive  (AAQD)  were 
registered for particulate matter (PM10) in two air quality 
zones.  Furthermore,  for  several  air  quality  zones  the 
target values for ozone69 concentration were not met70. 

Persistent  breaches  of  air  quality  requirements,  which 
have severe negative effects on health and environment, 
are  being  followed  up  by  the  European  Commission 
through infringement  procedures (mainly over PM10 and 
NO2 exceedances) covering all Member States concerned, 
72,  73 
including Czechia for exceedances of PM10
limit  values  in  several  air  quality  zones.  The  aim  is  that 
appropriate  measures  are  put  in  place  to  bring  all  air 
quality zones into compliance. 

71 and NO2

In the 2019 EIR, the  Commission suggested that Czechia 
its  national  air-pollution  control 
takes,  as  part  of 
programme,  actions  to  reduce  emissions  from  its  main 
emission sources including, for example, further reducing 
emissions  from  energy  production  and  heat  generation 
using solid fuels, or promoting efficient and clean district 
heating  and/or  fiscal  incentives.  As  highlighted  in  the 
2019 report as one of good practices, since 2015, Czechia 
is implementing a national scheme74, for replacing almost 
100  000  old  and  poor  quality  boilers,  out  of  300  000 
households using solid fuels, supported also by EU funds 
in 2014-2020. This scheme was launched also in a view of 
a  future  ban  for  boilers  not  complying  with  certain 
in  the 
environmental  standards,  already 

introduced 

70 European Environment Agency, Eionet Central Data Repository 
71  Environment:  Commission  asks  the  CZECH  REPUBLIC  to  act  on  air 
pollution: March infringements package: main decisions (europa.eu) 
72 Air Quality: Commission calls on BELGIUM, CZECHIA and POLAND to 
protect  their  populations  against  air  pollution:  February  infringements 
package: key decisions (europa.eu) 
73 According to the Czech authorities, the NO2 limit value was met in all 
zones and agglomerations in Czechia in 2020. The Commission has not 
yet assessed that data. 
74 Kotlíkové dotace – SFŽP ČR (sfzp.cz) 

75  Directive  2010/75/EU  covers  industrial  activities  carried  out  above 
certain thresholds. It covers the energy industry, metal production, the 
mineral and chemical industry, waste management, and a wide range of 
industrial  and  agricultural  sectors  (e.g.  intensive  rearing  of  pigs  and 
poultry, pulp and paper production, painting and cleaning). 
76  European  Commission,  proposal  for  a  revision  of  the  Industrial 
Emissions Directive, 4 April 2022. The revision of the IED is performed in 
parallel to the revision of Regulation (EC) No 166/2006 on the European 
Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR). 
77 European Environment Agency, European Industrial Emissions Portal. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  18 

Figure  19: Emissions to air from IED sectors and rest of 
national total air emissions in Czechia, 201879 

installations  are 
In  Czechia,  around  1 770 
required  to  have  a  permit  based  on  the  IED.  The 
distribution of installations is shown in Figure 18. 

industrial 

The  industrial  sectors  in  Czechia  with  the  most  IED 
installations in 2018 were intensive rearing of poultry and 
pigs  (26%),  followed  by  the  waste  management  sector 
(19%),  the  chemicals  production  (15%),  the  food  and 
drink  sector  (8%),  surface  treatment  (7%)  and  power 
production (6%). 

Figure  18:  Number  of  IED  industrial  installations  per 
sector in Czechia, 201878 

On  emissions  to  air,  in  2017,  Czechia  was  the  Member 
State  with  the  third  highest  damage  costs  aggregated 
over all pollutant groups normalised against GDP80. 

The  environmental  burdens  for  industrial  emissions  to 
water  mainly  result  from  the  production  of  food  and 
drink,  chemicals  and  pulp  and  paper  and  from  energy 
production  for  nitrogen,  phosphorous  and  total  organic 
carbon;  from  energy  production  for  polycyclic  aromatic 
hydrocarbons and from the energy production, as well as 
metals and chemicals production in case of heavy metals. 
The  breakdown,  based  on  E-PRTR  data,  is  presented  in 
the figure below. 

The  industrial  sectors 
identified  as  contributing  the 
largest  burden  to  the  environment  for  emissions  to  air 
were the energy – power sector for Sulphur Oxides (SOx), 
Nickel  (Ni),  Mercury  (Hg),  Chromium  (Cr),  Arsenic  (As), 
Nitrogen  Oxides  (NOx),  Zinc  (Zn)  and  Cadmium  (Cd); 
“Other  activities”  (mostly  intensive  rearing  of  poultry  or 
pigs,  surface  treatment)  for  Lead  (Pb),  Non  Methane 
Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOCs), Ammonia (NH3), 
Copper 
the  metals 
production  for  dioxins,  Zn,  Pb,  As  Cd,  Cr  and  Hg;  the 
chemicals production for Ni and NMVOCs and the waste 
management sector for dioxins. 

(Cu),  Cadmium 

(Cd)  and  Ni; 

78  European  Environment  Agency,  EU  Registry,    European  Industrial 
Emissions Portal (data retrieved on 3 November 2021). 

79  European  Environment  Agency,  LRTAP,  Air  pollutant  emissions  data 
viewer  (Gothenburg  Protocol,  LRTAP  Convention)  1990-2019  (data 
retrieved on 3 November 2021). 
80  ETC/ATNI  Report  04/2020:  Costs  of  air  pollution  from  European 
industrial facilities 2008–2017. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Figure  20:  Relative  releases  to  water  from  industry  in 
Czechia81, 201882 

Figure  21:  Number  of  inspections  in  IED  installations  in 
Czechia in 201883 

Czechia  19 

The  EU  approach  to  enforcement  under  the  IED  creates 
strong  rights  for  the  public  to  have  access  to  relevant 
information  and  to  participate  in  the  permitting  process 
for potentially polluting installations. This empowers the 
public and NGOs to ensure that permits are appropriately 
granted  and  that  the  conditions  of  these  permits  are 
complied  with.  As  part  of  environmental  inspection, 
competent  authorities  undertake  site  visits  at 
IED 
installations  to  take  samples  and  to  gather  necessary 
information.  According  to  Article  23(4)  of  the  IED,  site 
visits must be carried out between once a year and once 
every  3  years,  depending  on  the  environmental  risks 
posed by the installations. 

In 2018, Czechia  carried out 807 site visits, the majority 
of which were to installations in the waste management 
sector  (23%),  installations  for  the  intensive  rearing  of 
poultry  or  pigs  (16%)  under  other  activities,  followed  by 
the chemicals production (10%), power production (9%), 
food,  drink  and  milk  production  under  other  activities 
(8%) and surface treatment of metals (8%). 

The  development  of  Best  Available  Techniques  (BAT) 
Reference  Documents  (BREFs)  and  BAT  Conclusions 
ensures  a  good  collaboration  with  stakeholders  and 
enables a better implementation of IED84. Since the 2019 
EIR,  BAT  Conclusions  were  adopted  for:  (i)  waste 
incineration;  (ii)  the  food,  drink  and  milk  industries;  and 
(iii)  surface  treatment  using  organic  solvents  including 
the  preservation  of  wood  and  wood-products  with 
chemicals.. 

The  Commission  relies  on  the  efforts  of  national 
competent  authorities  to  implement  the  legally  binding 
BAT  conclusions  and  associated  BAT  emission  levels  in 
environmental permits. This should result in considerable 
and continuous reductions in pollution.  

In  2019,  Czechia  received  priority  actions  to  review 
permits  to  ensure  that  they  comply  with  the  newly 
adopted  BAT  Conclusions  and  to  strengthen  control  and 
enforcement to ensure compliance with BAT Conclusions. 
These actions have been followed up by the Commission 
through the reporting  by Czechia  to the EU Registry and 
in  2018. 
no  non-compliant  permits  were  reported 
Czechia  also  received  a  priority  action  to  address  air 
pollution from power plants and steel production where 
relevant. 

An  infringement  has  been  launched  against  Czechia  for 
its  incorrect  transposition  of  the  IED.  The  Commission 
identified  12  grievances  including  on  definitions,  access 
to justice of individuals and access to information85.  

2022 priority actions 

 

Continue  to  address  air  pollution,  in  particular 
from the energy sector. 

81  The  heavy  metals  are  presented  both  as  a  weighted  sum  of  eco 
toxicity and human toxicity factors to illustrate both the ecological and 
human impact (based on USEtox). 
82  European  Environment  Agency,  E-PRTR,  European 
Emissions Portal (data retrieved on 3 November 2021). 

Industrial 

83 EU Registry 
84 European Commission BAT reference documents  
85  Pollution:  Commission  calls  on  CZECHIA  to  improve  its  rules  on 
pollution arising from industrial activities:  June infringements package: 
key decisions (europa.eu) 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Major industrial accidents prevention – 
SEVESO 

The  main  objectives  of  EU  policy  on  the  prevention  of 
major industrial accidents are to: 
(i)  control  major  accident  hazards  involving  dangerous 
substances, especially chemicals;  
(ii)  limit  the  consequences  of  such  accidents  for  human 
health and the environment;  
(iii)  continuously  improve  prevention,  preparedness  and 
response to major accidents.  
The  cornerstone  of  the  policy  is  Directive  2012/18/EU 
(the Seveso-III Directive)86. 

The  below  overview  of  industrial  plants  regulated  by 
Seveso-III Directive (‘Seveso establishments’), is based on 
data  reported  to  the  eSPIRS  database  (2018)87  and  the 
Czech  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Seveso-III 
Directive for 2015-201888. 

Of  Czechia’s  212  Seveso  establishments,  98  are 
categorised as lower-tier establishments (LTE) and 114 as 
upper-tier establishments (UTE)  – based on the quantity 
of hazardous substances likely to be present. The UTE are 
subject to more stringent requirements. The evolution of 
the  number  of  Seveso  establishments  is  presented  in 
Figure 22.  

Figure 22: Number of Seveso establishments in Czechia, 
2011, 2014 and 201889 

Czechia  20 

Figure 23: Situation regarding EEP in Czechia (2018) 

The  information  to  the  public  referred  to  in  Annex  V  of 
the Seveso-III Directive – especially about how the public 
concerned will be warned in the case of a major accident; 
the  appropriate  behaviour  in  the  event  of  a  major 
accident;  and  the  date  of  the  last  site  visit  –  are 
permanently available for 100% of Seveso establishments 
in Czechia.  

The  share  of  UTE  for  which  information  on  safety 
measures  and  requisite  behaviours  were  actively  made 
available to the public over the last  years are presented 
in Figure 24. 

Figure 24: Share of UTE for which information on safety 
measures  and  requisite  behaviours  were  actively  made 
available to the public in Czechia, 2011, 2014 and 201890 

Czechia requires and External Emergency Plan (EEP) is for 
99 UTE. In 2018, 114 UTE had an EEP asshown in Figure 
23. These EEPs are essential to allow proper preparation 
and effective implementation of the necessary actions to 
protect  the  environment  and  the  population  should  a 
major industrial accident occur at them. 

Czechia  has  some  issues  with  the  transposition  of  the 
Seveso III Directive identified in the national legislation by 
the Commission in 202191. 

2022 priority actions 

  Strengthen  control  and  enforcement  to  ensure 
compliance  with  the  Seveso-III  Directive,  especially 
the provisions on External Emergency Plans (EEPs). 

86  Directive  2012/18/EU  on  the  control  of  major-accident  hazards 
involving dangerous substances 
87 European Commission, Seveso Plants Information Retrieval System 
88 As provided for by Article 21(2) of the Seveso-III Directive 
89 European Commission, Assessment and summary of Member States’ 
Implementing  Decision  2014/896/EU 
implementation  reports  for 
(implementing  Directive  2012/18/EU  on  the  control  of  major  accident 
hazards involving dangerous substances), 2022. 

90 Idem. 
91  Prevention  of  major  accidents  involving  dangerous  substances: 
Commission  calls  on  CZECHIA,  POLAND  and  SLOVENIA  to  improve  its 
national rules: June infringements package: key decisions (europa.eu) 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Noise 

Water Framework Directive 

Czechia  21 

The  Environmental  Noise  Directive  provides  for  a 
common  approach  to  avoid,  prevent  and  reduce  the 
harmful  effects  of  exposure  to  environmental  noise 
although  it  does  not  set  noise  limits  as  such.  Its  main 
instruments  in  this  respect  are  noise  mapping  and 
planning.  A  key  target  under  the  2030  zero  pollution 
action  plan  is  to  reduce  by  30%  the  share  of  people 
disturbed by transport noise compared to 2017. 

Excessive noise from aircraft, railways and roads is one of 
the main causes of environmental health‐related issues in 
the  EU.  It  can  cause  ischemic  heart  disease,  stroke, 
interrupted sleep, cognitive impairment and stress92. 

limited  set  of  data93, 
In  Czechia,  based  on  a 
environmental  noise  is  estimated  to  cause  at  least  400 
premature  deaths  and  1100  cases  of  ischaemic  heart 
disease annually94. It also causes some 110 000 people to 
suffer  from  disturbed  sleep.  The  proportion  of  people 
exposed to noise fell by 6% between 2012 and 2017. On 
the  basis  of  the  latest  full  set  of  information  that  has 
been  analysed,  noise  mapping  of  agglomerations,  roads 
and railways is complete. 

In  the  2019  EIR,  Czechia  received  a  priority  action  to 
complete  noise  action  plans.  Given  that,  there  has  been 
some progress, as detailed above,  no priority actions are 
proposed for 2022. 

Water quality and management 

EU  legislation  and  policy  requires  that  the  impact  of 
pressures  on  transitional,  coastal  and  fresh  waters 
(including  surface  and  ground  waters)  be  significantly 
reduced.  Achieving,  maintaining  or  enhancing  a  good 
status  of  water  bodies  as  defined  by  the  Water 
Framework Directive will ensure that EU citizens benefit 
from good quality and safe drinking and bathing water. It 
will  further  ensure  that  the  nutrient  cycle  (nitrogen  and 
phosphorus)  is  managed  in  a  more  sustainable  and 
resource-efficient way. 

92 WHO 2018, Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region. 
93  For  further  information:  European  Environment  Agency,  Noise  Fact 
Sheets 2021. 
94  These  figures  are  an  estimation  by  the  European  Environmental 
Agency  based  on:  (i)  the  data  reported  by  Member  States  on  noise 
exposure  covered  by  Directive  2002/49/EC;  (ii)  ETC/ATNI,  2021,  Noise 
indicators under the Environmental Noise Directive 2021: Methodology 
for  estimating  missing  data,  ETC/ATNI  Report  No  2021/06,  European 
Topic Centre on Air Pollution, Transport, Noise and Industrial Pollution; 
(iii)  the  methodology  for  health  impact  calculations,  ETC/ACM,  2018, 
Implications of environmental noise on health and wellbeing in Europe, 
Eionet  Report  ETC/ACM  No  2018/10,  European  Topic  Centre  on  Air 
Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation. 

is 

(WFD)95 

The  Water  Framework  Directive 
the 
cornerstone of the EU water policy in the 21st century96. 
The  WFD  and  other  water-related  legislation97  set  the 
framework 
integrated  water 
sustainable  and 
management, which aims at a high level of protection of 
water resources, prevention of further deterioration and 
restoration to good status.  

for 

By  March  2022,  Member  States  had  to  report  the  third 
generation  of  River  Basin  Management  Plans  (RBMPs) 
under  the  WFD.  Czechia  has  adopted  and  reported  the 
third generation of RBMPs on time. The Commission will 
assess  the  reported  status  and  progress,  checking  how 
the  findings  identified  in  the  assessment  of  the  second 
RBMPs98 have been addressed99. 

In  Czechia, 
the  3rd 
the  public  consultation 
management  cycle started  one year before the  deadline 
for adoption, allowing  the public and  all stakeholders to 
express their views in paper or electronically. 

for 

The  Commission  published  in  December  2021  the  6th 
Implementation  Report,  which  assesses  implementation 
of  the  WFD  and  the  Floods  Directive100.  This  report 
includes an assessment of: (i) the implementation of the 
programmes  of  measures;  and  (ii)  the  new  priority 
substances.  The  assessment  report  for  Czechia101  shows 
that despite progress in reaching WFD objectives, it is not 
certain,  if  this  progress  is  sufficient  to  fulfil  the  WFD 
investments  will  be 
obligations  until  2021.  Further 

95 The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). 
96 The EU Water Policy. 
97  This 
includes  the  Groundwater  Directive  (2006/118/EC),  the 
Environmental  Quality  Standards  Directive  (2008/105/EC),  the  Floods 
Directive  (2007/60/EC),  the  Bathing  Water  Directive  (2006/7/EC),  the 
Urban  Waste  Water  Treatment  Directive  (91/271/EEC),  the  new 
Drinking  Water  Directive  (2020/2184/EC),  the  Nitrates  Directive 
(91/676/EEC),  the  Marine  Strategy  Framework  Directive  (2008/56/EC), 
the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU) and the new Regulation 
on minimum requirements for water reuse (2020/741). 
98  Detailed  information  can  be  found  in  the  5th  Report  from  the 
Commission on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive 
and the Floods Directive, as well as in the 2019 EIR. 
99 According to Czech authorities, as a part of the preparation of the 3rd 
RBMPs  for  the  period  2021-2027,  the  status  of  surface  water  bodies 
and groundwater bodies was assessed based on monitoring data of the 
River  Basin  state  enterprises  and  the  Czech  Hydrometoteorological 
Institute. This assessment  is important for  developing all RBMPs levels 
and  formulating  measures  to  achieve  good  chemical/ecological 
status/potential.  Due  to  the  application  of  the  ’one  out  -  all  out‘ 
principle,  only  32.5%  of  all  surface  water  bodies  reach  good  chemical 
reach  good  ecological  status/potential.  For 
status,  and  5.9% 
groundwater, 93.1 % of all ground water bodies reach good quantitative 
status and only 26.4% reach good chemical status.  
100 See the 6th Implementation Report of the WFD and FD. 
101  European  Commission,  Directorate-General 
for  Environment, 
Assessment  of  Member  States’  progress  in  Programmes  of  Measures 
during  the  second  planning  cycle  of  the  Water  Framework  Directive. 
Member State: Czech Republic, 2022. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
needed for the 3rd round of RBMPs to improve the water 
status for remaining water bodies in all RBDs in Czechia.  

Figure 26: Percentage  of  surface  water  bodies  not 
achieving good chemical status105  

Czechia  22 

all 

surface 

19.2% of 

Based  on  the  2nd  RBMP  report  and  data  published  in 
2020102, 
water 
bodies103 in Czechia   have  reached  good  ecological  status 
(with  status unknown  for  1.7%) and only  68.5% have 
reached  good  chemical  status  (unknown status  for 
0.4%).  For  groundwaters,  73%  failed  to  achieve  good 
chemical status and 9.8% are in poor quantitative status 
(unknown status  for 21.3%).  

Figure  25  shows  the proportion  of  surface  water 
countries, 
other 
bodies in Czechia and 
which failed to achieve good ecological status. 

European 

Figure 25:  Proportion  of  surface  water  bodies  (rivers, 
lakes, transitional and coastal waters) in less than good 
ecological status per River Basin District104 

Figure 26presents the percentage of surface water bodies 
in Czechia and  other  European  countries  that  failed  to 
the 
achieve  good  chemical  status.   For  Czechia, 
percentage is 31.1%, if one includes water bodies failing 
due 
to  substances  behaving  as  ubiquitous  PBTs 
(Persistent, Bio-accumulative, Toxic). Without uPBTs, 28% 
of  surface  water  bodies  fail  to  achieve    good  chemical 
status.    

Under  the  IED  framework,  it  should  be  stressed  that 
Czechia showed a significant decrease in the last decade 
(48.9%) in industrial releases of heavy metals like Cd, Hg, 
Ni,  Pb  and  (10.4%)  in  total  organic  carbon  (TOC)  to 
water106. 

register to 

The  total  water  abstracted  in   Czechia is 1,260,08  hm3  a 
year  (in  line  with  the  2019  baseline)  as  shown  in  Figure 
27107.  Czechia uses 
control  water 
a 
is  updated  every  quarter. The 
abstractions  which 
percentage  of  water  abstraction  per  sector  is  3.76%  for 
agriculture, 49.24 % for public water supply, 28.54 % for 
electricity cooling, 15.63 % for  manufacturing, 0.16% for 
  2.67%  for  mining  and 
manufacturing  cooling  and 
quarrying.  Αbstractions  exempted,  according  to  Czech 
law, are not registered. 

102 WISE Freshwater (europa.eu) 
103 river, lake, transitional, coastal, territorial 
104 European Environment Agency, 2O21.   

105 European Environment Agency, December 2019. 
106 European Environment Agency, June 2021. 
107 Eurostat - Data Explorer (europa.eu) 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Figure 27: Water abstraction per sector in Czechia108 

Czechia  23 

Flood  Risk  Assessments  (PFRA)  during  the  second  cycle 
(2016-2021). 

The  assessment  report112  showed  that  Czechia  has 
developed  a  strong  methodology  for  the  analysis  of 
historic  floods  and  their  potential  to  re-occur.  However 
the  report  identified  areas  in  the  PFRA  that  could  be 
further  developed,  notably  recommending  to  include  an 
assessment  of  past  significant  floods  which,  if  repeated, 
could  cause  significant  damage.    Further  work  on  the 
consideration of climate change, is also suggested. 

Risk Management 

Czechia has adopted and reported the second generation 
(FRMPs) under 
of Flood 
the Floods Directive. The Commission will assess progress 
since the adoption of the first FRMPs and publish a  new 
report, as done in 2019. 

Plans 

Drinking Water Directive 

On  the  Drinking  Water  Directive113,  no  new  assessment 
of  the  quality  of  drinking  water  is  available  since    the  
2019 EIR. The quality of drinking water in Czechia has not 
been indicated as an area of concern.  

The  recast  Directive114  entered  into  force  on  12  January 
2021  and  Member  States  have  until  12  January  2023  to 
transpose  it  into  national  law  However,  the  report 
identified  areas  in  the  PFRA  that  could  be  further 
developed,  notably 
include  an 
assessment  of  past  significant  floods  which,  if  repeated, 
could cause significant damage. . Czech Republic will have 
to comply with these reviewed quality standards. 

recommending 

to 

Bathing Water Directive 

Regarding  the  Bathing  Water  Directive,  Figure  29  shows 
that in 2020, of Czechia's 153 bathing waters, 81.7% were 
of excellent  quality115.  Detailed  information on  Czechia’s 
bathing waters is available on a national portal116 and via 
an interactive map viewer of the European Environment 
Agency117. 

to 

index  plus 
According 
the  water  exploitation 
(WEI+)109, Czechia  stands  at  19.53%,  only  slightly  less 
than the 20% that is generally considered as an indication 
of water scarcity110.  

The bar below  presents  the  WEI+  score  in Czechia and 
other  EU  27. Czechia is  the 4th  (from  highest  to  lowest 
score) in the EU.  

Figure 28.  Water  exploitation  index  plus  (WEI+)  inside 
EU, 2017111 

Floods Directive 

As  mentioned,  the  Commission  published  the  6th 
2021, 
Implementation 
whichincludes,  a  review  and  update  of  the  Preliminary 

December 

Report 

in 

108  European  Environment  Agency, Water  abstraction  by  source  and 
economic sector in Europe, 2022.  
109 The Water Exploitation Index plus (WEI+) is a measure of total fresh 
water  use  as  a  percentage  of  the  renewable  fresh  water  resources 
(groundwater and surface water) at a given time and place. It quantifies 
how  much  water  is  abstracted  and  how  much  water  is  returned  after 
use to the environment. 
110  By  May  2022,  EEA  will  develop  seasonal  WEI+  at  river  basin  and 
NUTS2  level,  which  provide  a  more  complete  picture  of  water  stress 
and water scarcity for each Member State. 
111 European Environment Agency (EEA), Water exploitation Index Plus, 
2022. 

112  European  Commission,  Directorate-General 
for  Environment, 
Assessment  of  Second  Cycle  Preliminary  Flood  Risk  Assessments  and 
Identification  of  Areas  of  Potential  Significant  Flood  Risk  under  the 
Floods Directive : Member State : Czechia, 2022 
113 OJ L 330, 5.12.1998, p. 32–54. 
114 OJ L 435, 23.12.2020, p. 1–62. 
115  European  Environment  Agency,  2021.  State  of  bathing  water  — 
European Environment Agency (europa.eu)  , p. 17. 
116 
http://snirh.apambiente.pt/index.php?idMain=1&idItem=2.1  
117  EEA,  State  of  bathing  waters  in  2020  —  European  Environment 
Agency (europa.eu) 

http://www.apambiente.pt/index.php?ref=19&subref=906 

and 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Figure  29:  Bathing  water  quality  in  Europe  in  the  2020 
season118 

Figure 30: Bathing water quality 2017-2020119 

Czechia  24 

it has had a positive impact on drinking-water supply and 
on biodiversity. It has also benefited the sectors – such as 
fisheries  and  tourism  –  that  depend  on  biodiversity  and 
on  a  good  supply  of  drinking  water.  Nevertheless, 
excessive fertilisation remains a problem in many parts of 
the EU. 

According  to  report  on  the 
implementation  of  the 
Nitrates  Directive,  in  2012-2015,  groundwater  quality 
slightly  improved  compared  to  the  previous  reporting 
period,  with  the  percentage  of  stations  reaching  or 
exceeding  40  or  50  mg  nitrate  per  L  decreasing  from 
23.91%  to  21.4%  and  from  20.4%  to  17.9%  respectively. 
The situation concernig nitrate concentrations in surface 
water is rather good and stable and some improvements 
were  recorded  in  the  reduction  of  eutrophication  of 
surface water122. 

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 

Czechia  has,  over  the  years,  encountered  difficulties  in 
meeting  its  obligations  under  the  Urban  Waste  Water 
Treatment Directive. Overall, in Czechia , the compliance 
rate is 75% which is lower than the EU average in 2018.  

Figure  31: Proportion of urban waste water that meets 
all  requirements  of  the  UWWTD  (collection,  biological 
treatment,  biological  treatment  with  nitrogen  and/or 
phosphorus  removal)  in  compliant  urban  areas  of  the 
UWWTD (‘compliance rate’), 2018123 

Nitrates Directive 

The latest  Commission Report on the implementation of 
the  Nitrates  Directive120  refers  to  the  period  2016-
2019121.  This  report  warns  that  nitrates  are  still  causing 
harmful pollution to water in the EU. Excessive nitrates in 
water are harmful to both human health and ecosystems, 
causing  oxygen  depletion  and  eutrophication.  Where 
national authorities and farmers have cleaned up waters, 

118 European Environment Agency, Bathing Water Quality in 2020, 2022. 
119  European  Environment  Agency,  European  Bathing  Water  Quality  in 
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. 
120 Implementation of the Nitrates Directive in the EU. 
121 Last implementation report 2016-2019. 

122  According  to  the  Czech  authorities,  the  scale  of  vulnerable    zones 
referring to 2015-2019 is almost equal in its total size than in the period 
2012-2015.  Six  originally  vulnerable  zones,  where  the  nitrate 
concentration  on  their  measuring  objects  were  below  25  mg/l,  were 
removed  from  the  vulnerable  zone  list.  14  zones,  where  the  nitrate 
concentration  was high (more 50 mg/l, or where there was also a rising 
concentration  trend  (the  eutrophication  influence  is  present),  were 
classified  newly  as  vulnerable  ones.  16  zones  were  newly  classified  as 
potentially  vulnerable  zones  to  be  monitored  in  next  zones  revision 
(period 2020-2023).  
123 European Commission, WISE Freshwater, 2021. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
  
 
 
                                                                 
Despite improvements in compliance  over the years, for 
which  the use of EU funding  has been  fundamental, the 
incomplete  implementation  of  the  UWWTD  has  led  to 
the opening of an infringement case against Czechia. The 
case  is  currently  at  the  stage  of  Reasoned  Opinion. 
According  to  the  European  Commission,  451  Czech 
agglomeration  still  do  not  comply  with  their  obligations  
on  the  collection  and/or  their  treatment  of  waste 
waters124. 

2022 priority actions 

  Assess  new  physical  modifications  of  water 
bodies  in  line  with  Article  4(7)  of  the  Water 
Framework  Directive.  Considere  alternative 
options  and  adequate  mitigation  measures  in 
these assessments . 

 

  Boost investments for the third round of RBMPs 
to improve the water status for remaining water 
bodies in all river basin districts (RBDs). 
Improve  the  coordination  between  water  and 
nature policies. 
Esnure  the  compliance  with  the  Urban  Waste 
Water Treatment Directive in all agglomerations 
also by building up the necessary infrastructure. 

 

Chemicals 

The EU seeks to ensure that chemicals are produced and 
used in way that minimises any significant adverse effects 
on human health and the environment. In October 2020, 
its  chemicals  strategy  for 
the  Commission published 
sustainability  -  'Towards  a  Toxic-Free  Environment  125 
which  led  to  some  systemic  changes  in  EU  chemicals 
legislation. The strategy is part of the EU's zero pollution 
ambition  -  a  key  commitment  of  the  European  Green 
Deal. 

legislation126 provides  baseline 
The  EU’s  chemicals 
protection for human health and the environment. It also 
for  businesses 
ensures  stability  and  predictability 
operating within the internal market. 

Since 2007, the Commission has gathered information on 
the  enforcement  of  the  Regulation  on  the  Registration, 
Evaluation,  Authorisation  and  Restriction  of Chemicals 
(‘the  REACH  Regulation’)  and 
the  Regulation  on 
Classification, Labelling and Packaging (‘CLP Regulation’). 
In  December  2020,  the  Commission  assessed  the 
Member  States’  reports  on  the  implementation  and 

124 May infringements package: key decisions (europa.eu) 
125 COM(2020) 667 final 
126  REACH: OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p.1. -  CLP: OJ L 252, 31.12.2006, p.1 

Czechia  25 

enforcement  of  these  Regulations127,  in  line  with  Article 
117(1)  of  the  REACH  Regulation  and  Article  46(2)  of  the 
CLP  Regulation.  According  to  the  latest  available  data, 
national enforcement structures have not changed much 
in recent years. However, it is apparent from this report 
that 
the 
implementation  of  the  REACH  and  CLP  Regulations,  and 
notably in the area of law enforcement.  

still  many  disparities 

there 

are 

in 

In August 2021, the Commission published a  measurable 
assessment  of  the  enforcement128  of  the  two  main  EU 
Regulations on chemicals (the REACH Regulation and the 
CLP  Regulation)  using  a  set  of  indicators  on  different 
aspects of enforcement.  

The  recorded  compliance  levels  seem  to  be  quite  stable 
over  time,  but  with  a  worsening  trend  likely  due  to:  1) 
in 
enforcement  authorities  being  more  effective 
detecting  noncompliant  products/companies;  and  2) 
more non-compliant products on the EU market. 

Responsibility for enforcing compliance with both REACH 
and  CLP  Regulations  in  Czechia  lies  with  the  following 
authorities129: 

 
Czech Environmental Inspectorate 
 
Czech Customs Administration 
  Regional Public Health Authorities 
 

Central  Institute  for  Supervising  and  Testing  in 
Agriculture 
State Labour Inspection Office   

 

Czechia  has  drawn  up  and 
implemented  
enforcement strategies for both REACH and CLP130. These  
includes: 

fully 

  General  enforcement  methodology  updated 
every year, taking into account REF projects 

  Main 

of 

focus 

enforcement 

sheets,  duty 
safety  data 
information  on  substances 

activities: 
to 
registration, 
communicate 
in 
articles,  downstream  user  obligations  and 
classification  of 
restrictions,  as  well  as 
and 
substances 
packaging  duties,  notification  C  &  L  and  e-
commerce  
Choice of enforcement action left to inspectors 
Enforcement  activities  are  monitored  and 
annually evaluated 

and  mixtures, 

labelling 

 
 

  Annual  update  of  enforcement  methodology 
based  on  monitoring  and  evaluation  of 

127 European Commission, Final Report, on the operation of REACH and 
CLP, Final report_REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu) 
128  European  Commission,  REACH  and  CLP  enforcement:  EU  level 
enforcement indicators 
129 Final report_REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu), p.68 
130 Final report_REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu), p.76 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Czechia  26 

enforcement activities 

Czechia  allocates  only  11  staff  members  are  to  REACH 
and  CLP  enforcement131. At  300,  the  number  of  REACH 
controls  remains  well  below the  EU  average  in  the  (the 
2019  reporting  period).   However,  when  submitting  this 
data, the Czech competent authorities did not distinguish 
between  the  controls  that  were  proactive  (inspections) 
and those that were reactive/non-routine (investigations 
in response to complaints, accidents and referrals)..  The 
actual  level  of  expertise  has  increased  since  the  last 
reporting period. Czechia is among the countries with the 
highest number of appeals against national enforcement 
decisions  filed 
in  2015-2019,  with  no  enforcement 
decisions  overturned.  The  high  number  of  non-
compliance  cases  out  of  the  total  number  of  controls  is 
far above the average132. 

Figure  32:  Percentage  of  non-compliance  cases  out  of 
the  total  number  of  REACH  and  CLP  controls  during 
2019  per  Member  State  and  compared  to  the  EU 
average133 

2022 priority actions 

Upgrade  administrative  capacities  towards  to  enforce  a 
zero tolerance approach to non-compliance. 

131 European Commission, Final Report, on the operationof REACH and 
CLP, Final report_REACH-CLP MS reporting_2020.pdf (europa.eu), p. 75. 
132    Final  report_REACH-CLP  MS  reporting_2020.pdf  (europa.eu),  p.87-
88. 
133 European Commission, Final Report, on the operation of REACH and 
CLP, pp.87-88, 2022. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
Czechia  27 

4. Climate action 

to 

(NDC) 

law  also 

In  line  with  the  Paris  Agreement  and  as  part  of  the 
European Green Deal, the European Climate Law sets the 
EU  target  of  reaching  climate  neutrality  by  2050  and 
reducing  greenhouse  gas  (GHG)  emissions  by  55%  by 
2030  compared  to  1990.  The 
limits  the 
contribution  that  carbon  removals  can  make  towards 
emission  reductions  in  2030,  to  ensure  a  sufficient 
mitigation effort.  
The  EU  and  its  Member  States  submitted  updated 
the 
Nationally  Determined  Contribution 
UNFCCC in December 2020.  
The  EU  is  working  across  all  sectors  and  policies  to  cut 
GHG  emissions  and  make  the  transition  to  a  climate- 
neutral  and  sustainable  economy,  as  well  as  addressing 
the  unavoidable  consequences  of  climate  change.  EU 
climate legislation incentivises emissions reductions from 
power  generation, 
industry,  transport,  the  maritime 
sector  and  fluorinated  gases  (F-gases)  used  in  products. 
For  road  transport,  current  EU  legislation  requires  the 
GHG  intensity  of  vehicle  fuels  to  be  cut  by  6%  by  2020 
compared  to  2010134  and  sets  binding  GHG  emission 
standards for different vehicle categories135. Under the F-
gas  Regulation,  the  EU’s  F-gas  emissions  will  be  cut  by 
two-thirds  by  2030  compared  with  2014  levels.  From 
2021 emissions and removals of  GHG from LULUCF have 
been  included  in  the  EU  emission  reduction  efforts.  The 
EU  adaptation policy  is  an  integral  part  of  the  European 
Green Deal.  

reduce  greenhouse  gas  emissions  by  30  %  compared  to 
2005 levels. 

Czechia’s  RRP  allocates  42%  to  climate  objectives  and 
outlines  investments  and  some  reforms  to  enable  the 
transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon and climate-
resilient economy. 

It 

In  September  2021,  the  Czech  government  adopted 
updated  Strategy  National  Action  Plan  on  Adaptation  to 
identifies  major  climate  change 
Climate  Change. 
impacts.  They  set  out  an 
integrated  approach  for 
assessing  the  synergy  of  adaptation  and  mitigation 
measures,  and  for  whether  the  proposed  measures  are 
the 
suitabile 
environment, the economy and the social sphere 

individual  components  of 

the 

for 

The  country’s  total  greenhouse  gas  emissions  decreased 
by  43%  between  1990  and  2020  and  they  are  projected 
to  continue  to  decrease  significantly  in  the  years  ahead. 
Nevertheless,  the  energy  production,  transport  and 
building sectors in Czechia remain very carbon intensive. 

Figure  33:  Total  greenhouse  gas  emissions 
international aviation) in Czechia, 1990-2020 

(incl. 

From  2021,  Member  States  are  required  to  report  on 
their  national  adaptation  policies136,  As  the  EU  Climate 
Law  recognises  adaptation  as  a  key  component  of  the 
long-term  global  response  to  climate  change.  Member 
States  will  be  required  to  adopt  national  strategies,  and 
the EU will regularly assess progress as part of its overall 
governance  on  climate  action.  The  updated  EU 
adaptation strategy, published in February 2021, sets out 
how  the  EU  can  adapt  to  the  unavoidable  impacts  of 
climate change and become climate resilient by 2050.  

Key national climate policies and strategies 

Czechia  has  an  integrated  National  Energy  and  Climate 
Plan (NECP) for 2021-2030, consistent with its Long-term 
Strategy in this area. The national objective for 2030 is to 

134  The Fuel  Quality  Directive (Directive 98/70/EC)  sets  strict  quality 
requirements  for  fuels  used  in  road  transport  in  the  EU  to  protect 
human health and the environment, and to make road travel across the 
EU safer. 
135 Regulation (EU) 2019/631 
136 Article 29 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999. 

Effort sharing target  

For  emissions  not  covered  by  the  EU  EU’s  emissions 
trading  scheme  (ETS),  Member  States  have  binding 
national  targets  under  the  Effort  Sharing  legislation137. 
Under EU legislation, Czechia  has a target of limiting the 
increase by +9% by 2020 and  reduction  by 14% by 2030 
  The  country’s  Effort  Sharing 
compared  to  2005. 
emissions  in  2019  were  very  close  to  its  2020  target. 
Under  its  National  Energy  and  Climate  Plan,  Czechia 

137 Regulation (EU) 2018/842 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
intends  to  achieve  reductions  in  line  with  its  current 
Effort Sharing target for 2030. 

Figure  36:  Greenhouse  gas  emissions  by  sector138  – 
historical emissions 1990-2020, projections 2021-2030139 

Figure  34:  Emissions  and  targets  under  the  Effort 
Sharing  Decision/  Effort  Sharing  Regulation  in  Czechia, 
2020 and 2030 as percentage change from 2005 

Czechia  28 

Figure 35: Emissions, annual emission allocations (AEAs) 
and  accumulated  surplus/  deficit  of  AEAs  under  the 
Effort Sharing Decision in Czechia, 2013-2020 

On buildings, using renewable energy and making energy 
savings  is  crucial.  Czechia’s  district  heating  system  still 
uses 56% hard coal and lignite and 31 % gas.  

On agriculture, emissions have remained stable.  

In the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) 
sector,  Czechia  projects  small  net  removals  by  2030. 
Reported  quantities  under  the  Kyoto  Protocol  for  the 
LULUCF  sector  in  Czechia  show  net  average  annual 
removals  of  -2.1  Mt  CO2-eq  in    2013  to  2019.  With  this, 
Czechia contributes with 0.6% to the annual average sink 
of the 344.9 Mt CO2-eq for the EU-27.  

Figure  37:  Reported  and  accounted  emissions  and 
removals from LULUCF in Czechia140 

Key sectoral developments 

In  road  transport,  the  GHG  intensity  of  vehicle  fuels  in 
Czechia  fell  by  3.1%    from  2010  to  2019.  The  country 
needs  to  act  swiftly  to  meet  the  current  EU-wide  target 
of reducing 6% by 2020. There are several types of action 
that Member States can take in this regard, for example: 
(i)  further  expanding  the  use  of  electricity  in  road 
transport;  (ii)  supporting  the  use  of  biofuels,  and 
advanced  biofuels  in  particular;  (iii)  incentivising  the 
development and deployment of renewable fuels of non-
biological  origin;  and  (iv)  reducing  upstream  emissions 
before 
transport 
emissions  in  Czechia  accounted  13%  of  the  total  GHG 
emissions. Emissions have increased by 10% compared to 
2005. 

refining  processes.In  2019, 

road 

138  The  sectors  in  the  figure  correspond  to  the  following  IPCC  sectors: 
Energy supply: 1A1, 1B and 1C. Energy use in manufacturing industries: 
1A2.  Industrial  processes  and  product  use:  2.  Transport:  1A3.  Other 
energy  use:  1A4,  1A5  and  6.  Agriculture:  3.  Waste:  5.  International 
aviation: 1.D.1.a. 
139 European Environmental Agency, Total GHG trends and projections. 
140  The  differences  between  reported  and  accounted  emissions  from 
LULUCF under the Kyoto Protocol are described in the ‘explanatory note 
on  LULUCF  –  accounted  and  reported  quantities  under  the  Kyoto 
Protocol’.   

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  29 

2022 priority actions 

  Harness  the  potential  of  renewable  energy  and 

energy savings, especially in buildings 

 

in  place 

  Further  decarbonise  the  transport  sector,  the  fastest 
growing  energy  consuming  sector.  Stimulate  the 
electrification  by  putting 
charging 
infrastructure  and  supporting  alternative  fuels.  This 
will  have  a  positive  impact  on  Czechia’s  domestic 
transport 
industry  and  the  developing  batteries 
industry.  
Incentivise  the  use  of  renewables  in  the  electricity 
intermittent 
including  by 
sector, 
the  distribution  and 
renewable  electricity 
transmission  network  and  electricity 
charges.  
Incentivise the diversification of renewable sources. 
  Ensure  sustainable  use  of  biomass.  Current  and 
planned  use  of  biomass  is  close  to  its  sustainability 
levels. In the longer-term, there is a need to develop 
alternatives. 

integrationg  of 
into 

  Foster  action  in  the  LULUCF  sector  by  implementing 
land 

changes 

and 

in 

additional  measures 
management practices. 

Use of revenues from the auctioning of EU ETS 
allowances 

The  total  revenues  from  the  auctioning  of  emission 
allowances under the EU ETS over  2013-2020 amounted 
In  Czechia,  revenues  are  not 
to  EUR  2.5  billion. 
earmarked.  Reporting  spending  represents  the  amounts 
allocated  for  climate  change  and  energy  projects  in  the 
national budget of each year (if this is higher than 100%, 
it  is  reported  as  100%  of  revenues).  In  average,  76  %  of 
the national budget of each year have been allocated for 
climate and energy projects. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Czechia  30 

Part II: Enabling framework: Implementation tools 

5. Financing 

Environmental investment needs in the 
European Union 

Financing  environmental  measures  is  essential  for  their 
success.  Although  most  financing  comes  from  national 
sources, various EU funds contribute significantly, helping 
to close the financing gap between countries. Post-2020, 
environmental  measures  will  also  be  supported  by  the 
EU’s  COVID-19  Recovery  Fund  (via  the  RRF)  and  the  ‘do 
no  significant  harm’  (DNSH)  principle  which  runs  across 
the  EU  budget.  The  renewed  commitments  made  at 
COP26  (Glasgow,  Oct-Nov  2021)  and  the  Biodiversity 
Convention (April-May 2022) will also be reflected in the 
EU budget 141.  

Overall environmental investment gaps (EU27) 

The EU’s investment needs for the green transition cover 
a  range  of  interlinked  areas.  The  additional  investment 
needs  over  baselines  (i.e.  the  gap  between  what  is 
needed  and  what  is  forecast  to  be  invested  if  no 
additional  action 
is  taken)  for  climate,  energy  and 
transport  were  estimated  at  EUR  390  billion  per  annum 
(EU27)142,  with  a  further  EUR  130  billion  to  deliver  the 
EU's  core  environmental  objectives143.  The  costs  of 
climate-change  adaptation  can  also  be  significant, 
reaching a total of EUR 35-62 billion (narrower scope) or 
EUR  158-518  billion  (wider  scope)  per  year144.  Those 
investment  needs reflect the implementation objectives 
to  2020  and  to  2030  (except  for  climate-change 
adaptation, the costs of which are expected to last over a 
longer time horizon).  

141  The  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity  (cbd.int); Post-2020  Global 
Biodiversity Framework | IUCN 
142  COM(2020)  562  final  Stepping  up  Europe’s  2030  climate  ambition 
Investing  in  a  climate-neutral  future  for  the  benefit  of  our  people: 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0562&from=EN 
and 
SWD(2021)621,  accompanying  proposal  COM(2021)557  to  amend  the 
REDII Directive (EU) 2018/2001.  
143  SWD(2020)  98 
Identifying Europe’s recovery needs (europa.eu) 
144  SWD(2018)292  Impact  assessment  accompanying  the  Proposal  for 
the 
(COM(2018)385) 
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/budget-
may2018-life-swd_en.pdf 

Identifying  Europe's  recovery  needs: 

Regulation 

final/2 

LIFE 

A  preliminary  update  of  the  EU’s  core  environmental 
investment  gap  is  provided  in  Table  1145.  Almost  40%  of 
the environmental investment gap relate to dealing with 
pollution,  which  accounts  for  nearly  two-thirds  of  the 
total  gap  if  combined  with  water  management.  The 
investment  gap 
is 
estimated  to  range  between  EUR  13-28  billion  a  year, 
depending  on  levels  of  circularity  implemented.  The 
annual  biodiversity  financing  gap  is  estimated  at  around 
EUR  20 billion. 

in  circular  economy  and  waste 

1: 

Table 
environmental 
objective, 2021-2030 per annum146 

Estimated  breakdown  of 

EU’s 
investment  gaps,  by  environmental 

the 

Estimated investment gap (EU-27, 
p.a.)  

Environmental 
objective 

Pollution  prevention 
& control 

Water  management 
& industries 

Circular  economy  & 
waste 

 EUR billion 

 42.8 

 26.6 

 13.0 

Biodiversity 
ecosystems147 

& 

 21.5 

R & D & I and other 

Total 

 6.2 

 110.1 

 % 

 39% 

 24% 

 12% 

 20% 

 6% 

 100% 

Environmental investment needs in Czechia 

To  tackle  key  environmental  challenges,  air  quality, 
circular  economy  and  water  management  (addressing 

145  With  decreases  due  to  Brexit  and  some  reconciliation  among  the 
objectives.  Source:  DG  Environment  ”Study  supporting  EU  green 
investment needs analysis” (ongoing, 2021-2023) and DG Environment 
internal analysis ”Environmental investment needs and financing in the 
EU’s green transition” July 2020. 
146 European Commission, DG Environment, 'Study supporting EU green 
investment  needs  analysis'  (ongoing,  2021-2023) and  DG  Environment 
internal analysis 'Environmental Investment  needs  and financing  in the 
EU’s green transition',  July 2020.  
147  To  meet  the  needs  of  the  2030  biodiversity  strategy  (Natura  2000, 
green infrastructure), at least EUR 20 billion a year should be unlocked 
for  nature  (COM/2020/380  final)  while  to  fully  cover  the  strategy 
(including  restoration)  EUR  30-35  billion  may  be  needed,  indicating  a 
gap  of  EUR  10-20  billion  a  year  compared  to  current  baseline 
expenditure. 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
floods  and  droughts)  stand  out  as  major  areas  for 
environmental investment. 

cycle. EU funding has accounted for a significant share of 
total public funding over the past decade.  

Czechia  31 

Pollution prevention & control 

The  EU’s  first  Clean  Air  Outlook148  under  the  clean  air 
programme estimated that the total air pollution control 
costs  for  Czechia  to  reach  the  NECD  emission  reduction 
requirements  149  by  2030  amount  to  EUR  2  billion  per 
year,  including  EUR  1.3  billion  for  capital  investment 
(assuming the  2030 climate and energy targets are met). 

The  second  EU’s  Clean  Air  Outlook150 suggests  that  the 
EU  would  largely  achieve  the  reductions  of  air  pollutant 
emissions  that  correspond  to  the  obligations  under  the 
NEC  Directive  for  2030  if:  (i)  all  relevant  legislation 
adopted  up  to  2018  is  implemented  (including  all  air 
pollution  legislation  and  the  2030  climate  and  energy 
in  2018);  and  (ii)  Member  States  also 
targets  set 
implemented  the  measures  announced  in  their  national 
air  pollution  control  programmes.  The  only  exception  is 
for ammonia for 15 Member States, excluding Czechia.   

Water management  

Significant  investment  is  still  needed    in  Czechia  to 
accelerate  compliance  with  the  WFD    and  the  Floods 
Directive.  Preparedness  for  droughts  needs  to  be 
improved  in  light  of  climate  change.    In  addition  to 
further  developing  the  monitoring  network,  the  focus 
should  be  shifted  to  land  management.  This  will  entail 
using  nature-based  solutions  and    landscape  features, 
minimising soil sealing and restoring wetlands to enable a 
more  natural  hydromorphology  of  surface  water  bodies 
affected  by  artificial  flow  regulation,  safeguarding  soil 
and  preventing  land  from  desertification.  Measures  are 
needed  to  reduce  water  abstractions  pressures  and    to 
reduce  diffuse  agricultural  pollution 
- 
in  groundwater,  chemicals  and 
particularly  nitrate 
surface  water  and 
to  both 
organic  pollution) 
groundwater  which  prevent  the  achievement  of  WFD 
objectives. 

(nutrients 

According  to  the  Commission’s  assessment  of  Czechia’s 
RBMP151,  the  level  of  ambition  in  the  programme  of 
measures    is  low    and  little  progress  is  expected  to  be 
made  on  meeting  the  objectives  by  end  of  the  second 

industry  (to  meet  the 

An OECD study assessed the investment needs of the EU 
legal  requirement  for 
water 
drinking  water  and  sanitation  ),  and  found  that  the 
cumulative  expenditure  needed  for  Czechia  will  reachs 
EUR  5.7  billion  by  2030,  including  EUR  2.4  billion    in 
capital expenditure. This suggests that Czechia  will need  
an  average  of  EUR  500  million  a  year  in  financing,  with 
around  half  of  that  (EUR    240  million)    dedicated  to 
investments (in physical assets)152 of which close to 90% 
relate  to  wastewater.  Moreover,  the  recent  6th  Water 
Framework 
Directive 
Implementation  Report153  and  the  financial  -  economic 
study154  accompanying  it,  are  also  a  relevant  source  of 
information in this domain. 

Directive 

Floods 

and 

Waste & circular economy 

Accelerating  the  transformationto  a  circular  economy 
and  opening  it  up    to  mainstream  economic  actors 
(rather  than  today’s  front-runners)  is  a  major  challenge 
for  Czechia  under  the  Green  Deal.  Czechia  has  the 
potential  to  go  beyond  the  'narrow'  understanding  of 
circular  economy.  For  this,  it  needs  to  direct  funding  to 
the  entire  lifecycle  of  products:  including  their  design, 
circular  industrial  processes,  sustainable  consumption, 
waste management and  secondary raw materials. 

Additional  investment  needs  (over  baselines)  to  comply 
with  the  revised  waste  proposals  (WFD,  landfill  and 
packaging waste directives) by 2030155 include:  

 

 

EUR  519  million    to  reach  the  EU  recycling 
targets  for  municipal  and  packaging  waste  by 
2035; 
EUR  297  million  in  capital  investments    for 
municipal and packaging waste for  2021-2027  

This  suggest  an  average  annual  investment  need  of 
around  EUR  35-40  million  for  Czechia’s  waste  sector,  to 
improve  collection,  biowaste 
recycling 
reprocessors,  waste  sorting  facilities  and  waste  registry 
digitalisation. However, this does not include tackling key 
waste  streams  (plastics,  textiles,  furniture)  or  additional 

treatment, 

148  Progress  towards  the  achievement  of  the  EU's  air  quality  and 
emissions objectives (europa.eu) 
149  Covering  the  reductions  of  and  the  emission  ceilings  for  5 
atmospheric  pollutants,  SOx,  NOx,  PM2.5,  NH3  and  VOC  by  2030, 
compared  to  2005.  Requirements  are  based  on  Directive  (EU) 
2016/2284. 
150  COM(2021)  3  final.  International  Institute  for  Applied  Systems 
Analysis (IIASA), Support to the development of the  
Second Clean Air Outlook, 2020 and Annex 
151 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=SWD:2019:35:FIN&qid=1551205988853&fro
m=EN  

financing-water-supply-sanitation-and-flood-protection-

152  OECD, 
country-fact-sheet-czech-republic.pdf (oecd.org) 
153 WFD and FD Implementation Reports – DG Environment – European 
Commission. 
154  European  Commission,  Directorate-General 
for  Environment, 
Economic  data  related  to  the  implementation  of  the  WFD  and  the  FD 
and the financing of measures, Final report. Publications Office, 2021. 
155  European  Commision,  Study  on  investment  needs  in  the  waste 
sector and on the financing of municipal waste management in Member 
States, 2019. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
investment  needs  that  may  arise  from  an  increased 
uptake of circular economy processes across sectors. 

Figure  38:  ESI  Funds  allocated  to  Czechia,  including 
environmental investments, 2014-2020160 

Biodiversity & ecosystems 

Czechia  32 

Prioritised  action  frameworks  (PAFs)  adopted  by  the 
Member  States  according  to  Article  8  of  the  Habitats 
Directive  present:  (i)  the  conservation  priorities  for  the 
Natura  2000  network  and 
supporting  green 
infrastructure;  (ii)  the  costs  of  these  conservation 
priorities;  and 
for 
biodiversity and ecosystems in the period corresponding 
to the current multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 
2021-2027. 

(iii)  planned 

funding 

sources 

its 

for  nature 

conservation, 

According  to  Czechia’s  PAF,  EUR  1.05  billion  will  be 
needed 
the 
management  of  the  Nature  2000  network,  in  the  2021-
2027  programming  period  ,  amounting  to  EUR  150 
million  per  year  on  average156.  This  excludes  additional 
costs  to  implement  the  biodiversity  strategy  to  2030, 
including on increased protection and restoration. 

including 

EU environmental funding 2014-2020 

Table 2:  Direct  and indirect environmental investments 
under the ESI Funds in Czechia, 2014-2020161 

The MFF for 2014-2020 allocated almost EUR 960 billion 
(in  commitments,  2011  prices)157  for  the  EU  to  spend 
over this period. This commitment in this 2014-2020 MFF 
to the green transition included a  20% climate  spending 
target.  It  also  included  funding  opportunities  for  the 
the  European 
in  particular,  under 
environment, 
Structural  and  Investment  (ESI)  Funds158.  The  2014-2020 
MFF budget  was subsequently topped up with over EUR 
50  billion  (in  current  prices)  from  the  REACT-EU 
programme    for  cohesion  policy  action  against  the 
COVID-19159.  

in 

invest 

Czechia  received  EUR  25.46  billion  from  the  ESI  Funds 
job  creation  and  a 
over  2014-2020  to 
sustainable  and  healthy  European  economy  and 
environment. 
The  planned  direct  environmental 
investment  amounted  to  EUR  2.36  billion  with  a  further 
1.91  billion 
indirect  environmental 
investment  value,  totaling  EUR  4.27  billion.  Figure  39 
shows  an  overview  of  (planned)  individual  ESI  Funds 
earmarked  for  Czechia  (EU  amounts,  without  national 
amounts). 

identified  as 

156  The  N2K  Group,  Strengthening  investments  in  Natura  2000  and 
improving  synergies  with  EU  funding 
instruments  report  to  the 
European Commission, 2021. 
157 Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1311/2013. 
158  The  European  Structural  and  Investment  (ESI)  Funds  include  the 
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), 
the  European  Social  Fund  (ESF)  with  the  Youth  Employment  Initiative 
(YEI),  the  European  Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development  (EAFRD) 
and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).   
159 Regulation (EU) 2020/2221. 

Instrument 

Under Cohesion policy (ERDF + CF) 
Direct environmental investments 
water 
waste 
air quality 
biodiversity and nature 
land rehabilitation 
climate and risk management 
Indirect environmental investments 
renewable energy 
energy efficiency 

Allocations  
for the environment  
(EUR million) 

4 256.9 
2 344.0 
576.9 
320.3 
569.3 
405.8 
115.5 
356.3 
1 912.9 
34.0 
590.8 

(EU)  No  215/2014. 

160 European Commission, DG Environment - Data analysis based on ESI 
Funds  Open  Data  Portal  (cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu),  Integration  of 
environmental  concerns 
in  Cohesion  Policy  Funds  (COWI,  2017), 
Regulation  (EU)  No  1303/2013,  Regulation  (EU)  2021/1060  and 
Implementing  Regulation 
Environmental 
investments  here  are  captured  via  the  combined  use  of  intervention 
fields  and  coefficients  under  the  Regulation  (EU)  No  1303/2013  and 
Regulation  (EU)  2021/1060    allowing  for  a  more  precise  identification 
and  valuation  of  relevant  environmental  investments.  N.B.  Indirect 
environmental investments are valued using the Annex I environmental 
coefficients of the Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 (as opposed to full value).    
161  European  Commission,  DG  Environment  -  Data analysis.  The  values 
of  environmental 
the  specific 
in 
environmental  areas  may  differ 
from  the  tracking  values  at 
cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu, e.g. for clean air or biodiversity due to two 
factors:  the  set  of  environmental  coefficients  used  and  the  range  of 
funds assessed. DG Environment’s analysis here  covered the full range 
of ESI Funds. See also previous footnote.  

identified  here 

investments 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
                                                                 
 
  
                                                                 
other energy162 
sustainable transport 
business development, R&I 

Under EAFRD/rural development 
Direct environmental investments 
climate and risk management 
Indirect environmental investments 
renewable energy 

Under EMFF 
Direct environmental investments 
environment  protection  &  resource 
efficiency 

Under ESI Funds total  
Direct environmental investments 
Indirect environmental investments 

42.4 
1 175.7 
70.0 

7.7 
7.2 
7.2 
0.5 
0.5 

7.8 
7.8 
7.8 

4 272.4 
2 359.0 
1 913.4 

It  is  not  yet  possible  to  fully  report  on  the  2014-2020 
programming period. Nevertheless, current data suggests 
that  the  implementation  of  ESI  Funds  is  on  a  track  in 
Czechia163. 
spending  on 
This 
environmental  protection, 
resource  management, 
climate  change  adaptation  and  on  risk  prevention.  The 
estimated  EU  financing  in  2014-2020  for  Czechia  may 
reach EUR 4.6 billion in total.  

applies 

also 

to 

Funding for the environment from the ESI Funds has also 
been  supplemented  by  other  EU  funding  programmes 
available  to  all  Member  States,  such  as,  the  LIFE 
programme,  Horizon  2020  and 
some  European 
Investment  Bank  (EIB)  loans.  The  LIFE  programme164  is 
entirely  dedicated 
to  environmental  and  climate 
objectives.  It  finances  demonstration  and  best  practice 
actions for green solutions to be deployed. In 2014-2020 , 
Czechia  received  EU  support  for  10  LIFE  projects  with 
EUR 30.5 million from the LIFE programme for nature and 
environmental projects (out of 1 028 EU-27 LIFE projects 
with a total EU contribution of EUR 1.74 billion) 165. 

In  2014-2020,  Horizon  2020  allocated  about  EUR  10.6 
million for Czechia for the environment (in particular for 
circular economy, reseach and innovation, climate action 
and  water)  -  2.1%  of  its  total  allocation  of  EUR  501.6 
million166.  From  the  European  Fund 
for  Strategic 
Investments  (EFSI),  Czechia  received  a  total  of  EUR  76.8 

162  Intelligent  energy  distribution  systems  (smart  grids)  and  high 
efficiency co-generation and district heating, based on intervention field 
53  and  54  respectively  (with  40%  environmental  coefficients)  of 
REGULATION (EU) 2021/1060, Annex I. 
163  Open  Data  Portal  for  the  European  Structural  Investment  Funds  - 
European  Commission  |  Data  |  European  Structural  and  Investment 
Funds (europa.eu) March 2022: 115% allocated and 70% spent overally 
164 European Commission, LIFE Programme. 
165 Cinea, LIFE (europa.eu). 
166 Source: https://sc5.easme-web.eu/. 

Czechia  33 

million,  though  no  projects  were  dedicated  to  the 
environment167.  Environment-related  EIB 
to 
Czechia amounted to EUR  300 million (supporting water 
and sewerage), of a total of EUR 6.2 billion in EIB lending 
to  Czechia  during  the  same  period.168  The  country  ranks 
13th in size in terms of total EIB lending. 

loans 

In  2020,  the  EIB  provided  EUR  24.2  billion  in  funding 
across  Europe  to  fight  climate  change,  37%  of  its  total 
financing.  It  also  provided  EUR  1.8  billion  (3%  of  its 
financing) for environmental lending169. 

EU environmental funding  2021-2027 

including 

The 2020 European Green Deal investment plan  calls for 
EUR 1 trillion in green investments (public and private) to 
be made across the EU by 2030. The 2021-2027 MFF and 
the NextGenerationEU spending programme will mobilise 
EUR  2.018  trillion  (in  current  prices)  to  support  the 
recovery 
long-term 
from  COVID-19  and  the  EU's 
protection.170 
priorities, 
Following the EU Green Deal’s171 pledge to ‘do no harm’ 
and  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement  on  the  2021-2027 
MFF172, 30% of the EU budget in 2021-2027 will support 
climate efforts, while biodiversity will receive 7.5% of the 
EU budget as of 2024 and 10% as of 2026   that requires 
increased  programming  of 
for 
biodiversity,  specifically  under  the  2021-2027  Cohesion 
policy and the 2023-2027 CAP to reach those targets.  

environmental 

resources 

financial 

Sustainable  finance  significantly  increases  transparency 
on environmental sustainability (a goal promoted by the 
EU  Taxonomy)173. 
It  also  strengthens  non-financial 
reporting  requirements  and  facilitates  the  issuance  of 
green  bonds 
(by  developing  the  EU  green  bond 
standard174).  Reinforced  by  the  renewed  sustainable 
finance  strategy 
finance  will 
increase  investment  flows  to  climate  and  environment. 

(2020)175,  sustainable 

167  Approved  and  signed  EFSI  financing  -  EIB,  2015-2020:  Source: 
https://www.eib.org/en/products/mandates-
partnerships/efsi/index.htm. 
168 EIB loans in EU countries in 2014-2020. Source: EIB Open Data Portal: 
https://www.eib.org/en/infocentre/eib-open-data.htm 
169  EIB  2020  Activity  Report.  The  EIB  Group  jointly  works  with  the 
European  Commission  in  implementing  several  programs  that  finance 
environmental implementation: InvestEU, the successor of EFSI, Pillar II 
and III of the Just Transition Mechanism. The EIB Group stands as a key 
implementing  partner  for  InvestEU  with  responsibility  for  managing 
75% of the overall budgetary capacity of the mandate. 
170  European  Commission,  2021-2027 
NextGenerationEU. 
171 COM/2019/640 final. 
172 Interinstitutional Agreement, OJ L 433I. 
173 

https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-

long-term  EU  budget  & 

finance/sustainable-finance/eu-taxonomy-sustainable-activities_en   
174 EU Green Bond Standard - 2021/0191 (COD). 
175 COM (2021) 390 Final - European Commission, Strategy for Financing 
the Transition to a Sustainable Economy. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
The new strategy on adaptation to climate change176can 
help  to  close  the 
insurance  protection  gap,  which 
currently leaves many risks  from  climate-related events 
uninsured177.  The  EIB  will  align  50%  of  its  lending  for 
climate  and  environment  projects178  with  an  EUR  250 
billion contribution to the Green Deal investment plan by 
2027.  

Table  3:  Key  EU  funds  allocated  to  Czechia  (current 
prices), 2021-2027 

Instrument 

Cohesion policy 

ERDF 
CF 
ESF+ 
ETC (ERDF) 

Just Transition Fund 

EAFRD/rural 
development  
under  CAP  Strategic 
Plans 2023-2027183 

European Maritime, 
Fisheries and 
Aquaculture Fund 
(EMFAF) 

Recovery and 
Resilience Facility (RRF)  
2021 – 2026186  

Country funding allocation 
(million EUR) 

Total: 19.8179 
10 426.2  
6 365.3180 
2 701.2  
311.1181 

1 641.5182 

1 295.9184 

EUR 30.0185 

EUR 7 035.7187 (grants) 

In Czechia, the programming for most EU funds (cohesion 
policy  funds,  EAFRD  and  EMFAF)  is  ongoing.    However, 
negotiations have been concluded under the RRF.  

176 COM(2021) 82 final. 
177  The  strategy  would  support  improved  insurance  gap  coverage 
including through the natural catastrophe markets as reflected with the 
EIOPA  (the  Association  for  European  Insurance  and  Occupational 
Pension Authorities) dashboard on insurance protection gap for natural 
catastrophes. See: The pilot dashboard on insurance protection gap for 
natural catastrophes | Eiopa (europa.eu). 
178 EIB Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025, November 2020 
179  European  Commission,  2021-2027  Cohesion  policy  EU  budget 
allocations. 
180  The  transfer  to  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  (Transport)  is  not 
included. 
181 

initial  allocations  per  Member  State 

including  ETC 

Interreg 

Czechia  34 

In  Czechia’s  national  recovery  and  resilience  plan  (RRP), 
41.7%  of  the  budget  is  allocated  to    climate-related 
measures188,  with  a 
focus  on  climate  mitigation, 
adaptation,  protection  of  biodiversity  and  natural 
resources.  Investments  in  renewable  energy  sources, 
modernising  district  heating  distribution  networks, 
replacing  coal-fired  boilers  and  improving  the  energy 
efficiency  of 
residential  and  public  buildings  are 
expected.  Investments  in  sustainable  transport  are  also 
expected,  with  the  aim  of  improving  railway  and  clean 
mobility infrastructure, including electro-mobility.  

The  biggest  contributors  to  the  climate  target  are 
measures  to  improve    energy  efficiency  in  buildings  and 
the  acquisition  of  boilers  based  on  RES,  followed  by 
measures to support sustainable and clean transport and 
mobility,  and  measures  to  support  climate  adaptation 
and environmental protection, namely reforestation and 
flood prevention. A fourth part of the plan contributes to 
the  green  transition  and  to  some  degree  to  the 
protection  of  the  environment  by  promoting  circular 
economy and waste. 

The  plan  sets  out  conditions  to  ensure  that  the  DNSH 
principle  is  respected.  For  example,  biomass-related 
investments  for  the  production  of  electricity  and  heat 
must  be  underpinned  by  an  assessment  of 
the 
trajectories of sustainable use of bioenergy and supply of 
biomass in Czechia and its impacts on Land Use, Land-Use 
Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sinks, biodiversity and air 
quality in 2020-2030189. 

On  the  budget  per  policy  area  in  2021-2027,  Czechia 
allocates  34.5%  for  ‘a greener,  lowcarbon  transitioning 
towards a net zero carbon economy’- (Policy Objective 2 
in the draft Partnership Agreement190); 23.7% for 'a more 
social  and  inclusive  Europe'  (Policy  Objective  4);  and 
21.9%  for  'a  more  connected  Europe  by  enhancing 
mobility'  (Policy  Objective  3).  The  draft  Partnership 
Agreement covers all relevant environmental sectors, but 
investments 
Deal's 
decorbanisation  and  zero  pollution  objectives  take 
precedence.  According  to  the  biodiversity  tracking 
methodology  for  MFF  2021-2027,  biodiversity-related 
funding accounts for around 7.5% under the Partnership 
Agreement with Czechia.  

European 

Green 

the 

in 

Czechia  must  also  fulfil  the  enabling  conditions  on 
satisfactory  waste  management  plans  in  order  to  fund 

transnational and ETC cross-border cooperation.  
182  European  Commission,  2021-2027  Cohesion  policy  EU  budget 
allocations. 
183 European Commission, CAP strategic plans.  
184 Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, Annex XI.  
185 Regulation (EU) 2021/1139, Annex V. 
186  The  actual  reforms  and  investments  under  the  RRF  have  to  be 
implemented by 31 December 2026.   
187 Council Implementing Decision, FIN 637. 

188 State of play in May 2022, but it is likely that Czechia 
will receive additional allocations. 

189 Analysis of Czechia’s RRP accompanying the document Proposal for a 
CID  on  the  approval  of  the  assessment  of  the  RRP  for  Czechia, 
SWD/2021/211 final: 
 EUR-Lex - 52021SC0211 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 
190 DotaceEU - Příprava období 2021-2027 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
investments  in  waste  management  and  the  circular 
economy. An updated planning for investments in  water 
and wastewater sectors as well as in the PAF to support 
investments in nature and biodiversity.  

Table 39: Climate  expenditure in RRPs, 2021-2026191 

Under  NextGenerationEU,  the  Commission  will  issue  up 
to  EUR  250  billion  of  EU  green  bonds  (one  third  of  all 
bonds  issued  under  NextGenerationEU)  until  2026  that 
will  comply  with  the  general  spirit  of  the  ‘do  no 
significant harm’ (DNSH) principle. However, this EUR 250 
billion in green bonds will not be subject to the currently 
developed  delegated  acts  related  to  the  EU  Taxonomy 
and will not fully align with the proposed EU standard for 
green bonds. 

,  there  are  other  EU-level 

In addition to EU funds earmarked specifically for Czechia 
in  2021-2027 
  funding 
programmes  open  to  all    Member  States.  These  include  
the  LIFE  programme192  (EUR  5.4  billion),  Horizon  Europe  
(EUR  95.5  billion)193,  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility194 
(EUR 33.7 billion)195  and the funds to be mobilised via the 
InvestEU196  programme.  These  other  sources  of  funding 
will  also  support  the  green  transition,  including  through 
research  and  innovation  activities  for  environmental 
protection  (Horizon  Europe)197,  clean  transport  and 

191 European Commission. The contributions to  climate objectives have 
been calculated using Annex VI of the RRF Regulation (EU) 2021/241. 
192 European Commission, LIFE Programme. 
193  European  Commission,  Multiannual  financial  framework  2021-2027 
(in commitments) - Current prices. 
194  The  CEF  (Transport)  includes  EUR  11.3  billion  transferred  from  the 
Cohesion Fund. 30 % of the transferred amount will be made available, 
on a competitive  basis,  to  all  Member  States eligible  for  the  Cohesion 
Fund.  The  remaining  70%  will  respect  the  national  envelopes  until  31 
December  2023.  Any  unspent  amount,  by  that  date,  under  national 
envelopes will support all Cohesion Fund’s Member States. 
195 Regulation (EU) 2021/1153. 
196  The  InvestEU  Fund  is  expected  to  mobilise  over  EUR  372  billion  of 
investment through an EU budget guarantee of EUR 26.2 billion to back 
the  investment  of  financial  partners  such  as  the  European  Investment 
Bank (EIB) Group and others. 
197 European Commission, Horizon Europe. 

Czechia  35 

energy  (the  Connecting  Europe  Facility)198  or  sustainable 
infrastructure (InvestEU)199. 

National environmental protection 
expenditure 

Total  national  expenditure  on  environmental  protection 
(including all relevant current and capital expenditure )200 
in the EU-27 was EUR 272.6 billion in 2020, representing 
2%  of  EU-27  GDP.  This  percentage  has  remained  quite 
stable over time.   Although the largest absolute amounts 
of expenditure are concentrated in a few countries, most 
countries  spend  1-2%  of  their  GDP  on  environmental 
protection, with Czechia spending 2.7%. 

Of this spending, the EU-27's capital expenditure (Capex) 
on environmental protection (i.e. investment)  amounted 
to  EUR 56.3 billion in 2018, falling to EUR 54.5 billion in 
2020,  representing  around  0.4%  of  EU-27  GDP.  Most 
Member  States 
in 
environmental protection, while Czechia dedicated 0.8%. 
In  2014-2020,  this  amounted  to  around  EUR  10.6  billion 
in environmental investment in Czechia (EU-27 total: EUR 
376 billion).  

invested  0.2-0.5%  of  their  GDP 

level, 

including  final  consumption, 

198 European Commission, Connecting Europe Facility. 
199 European Union, InvestEU. 
200  At  economy 
intermediate 
consumption and  capital  expenditure  of  households,  corporations  and 
governments related to environmental protection goods and services. It 
excludes  EU  funds,  while  may  include  some  international  expenditure 
beyond  domestic.  Data  source:  Environmental  Protection  Expenditure 
Accounts (EPEA), Eurostat. EPEA accounts are based on the CEPA 2000 
classification, excluding climate, energy and circular economy.” 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
 
Figure 40: Environmental protection investments in the 
EU-27 (EUR million and % of GDP), 2018201 

investments 
Figure  41:  Environmental 
(Capex) in EU-27 by institutional sector (Total economy 
= 100%), 2018202 

  protection 

Czechia  36 

By  institutional  sector,  based  on  the  reported  data, 
Czechia’s  general  government  and  businesses  provided 
around  40%  each  of  the  country’s  environmental 
protection  investments  while  specialist  producers  of 
environmental protection services (e.g. waste and water 
companies) provided 20%. At EU level,  37% comes from 
governments,  33%  from  specialist  producers  and  30% 
from industry (business). 

investments  were 

A  breakdown  of  investment  by  environmental  topic  is 
only available at institutional sector level (rather than at 
economy level), due to different reporting patterns203. At  
general  government  level  in  Czechia  in  2018,  68%  of 
environmental  protection 
for 
wastewater, 16% for biodiversity protection and 11% for 
waste  management.  For 
specialist 
producers,  the  focus  was  on  waste  management  (86%), 
with  water  and  soil  protection  receiving  10%  and 
wastewater  4%.  For  the  business  sector,  the  main 
concern  was  air  pollution,  which  received  54%  of 
environmental protection investments, while wastewater 
attracted 13%.  

the  country’s 

The  annual  European  green  bond  issuance204  in  2020 
amounted to USD 156 billion (EUR 137 billion205), up from 
USD  117  billion  (EUR  105  billion)  in  2019  (these  figures 
also include  some non-EU European countries).   For  EU-

202 Environmental protection expenditure accounts (europa.eu) 
203 Data reporting is different  for the 3 institutional sectors, leading to 
aggregation  difficulties.  Specialist  companies  provide  comprehensive 
data  across  all  environmental  areas  (CEPA  1-9),  while  this  is  less  the 
case  for  general  government  and  industry  that  often  report  (the  non-
obligatory)  data  in  merged  categories  only  (with  difficulty  to  split)  or 
not at all.  
204  Green  bonds  were  created  to  fund  projects  that  have  positive 
environmental  and/or  climate  benefits.  The  majority  of  green  bonds 
issued are green “use of proceeds” or asset-linked bonds. The very first 
green  bond  was  issued  in  2007  with  the  AAA-rated  issuance  from 
multilateral  institutions,  the  European  Investment  Bank  (EIB)  and  the 
World Bank. 
205 At Eurostat’s annual average EUR/USD exchange rates. 

201 Environmental protection expenditure accounts (europa.eu) 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Czechia  37 

Figure 43: Environmental taxes in the EU-27, 2020208 

27,  the  2020  green  bond  issuance  came  to  EUR  124 
billion, but Czechia was not among the issuers. 

In  2014-2020,  83%  of  the  green  bonds 
issued  by 
European  countries  went  towards  energy,  buildings  or 
transport objectives, 8% supported water and waste and 
6%  supported  sustainable 
links  to 
ecosystem conservation and restoration). These data are 
based  on  Climate  Bonds  Taxonomy,  which  is  broadly 
similar to EU Taxonomy206. 

land  use  (with 

Figure 42: Annual EU green bond issuance in 2020 (EUR 
billion)207 

The  2019  European  Green  Deal  underlines  that  well-
designed  tax  reforms  can  boost  economic  growth  and 
resilience, foster a fairer society and a just transition. Tax 
reforms can contribute to this, by sending the right price 
signals  and  incentives  to  economic  actors.  The  Green 
Deal creates the context for broad-based tax reforms, the 
removel of fossil fuels and a shift in the tax burden from 
labour to pollution. It achieves this while simultaneously 
taking  account  of  social  considerations.209.  The  Green 
Deal  promotes  t  the  ‘polluter  pays  principle’  (PPP)210 
which  stipulates  that  polluters  should  bear  the  cost  of 
measures to prevent, control and remedy pollution. The 
polluter  pays  principle 
the  EU 
is 
Commission’s Technical Support Instrument  (TSI) project 
on greening taxes. 

facilitated  by 

A recent assessment of economic instruments in Czechia 
shows that there is scope to increase their use to to make 
polluters  pay  in  some  sectors,  for  example  nitrogen 
fertiliser tax and a water consumption charge211. 

Environmentally-harmful subsidies 

Addressing  and 
subsidies 
reforms212.  

removing  environmentally  harmful 
is  a  further  step  towards  wider  fiscal 

Green budget tools 

Green taxation and tax reform 

 Czechia’s  revenue  from  environmental  taxes  accounted 
for  1.93%  of  GDP  in  2020,  below  the  EU  average  of 
2.24%,  as  shown  in  Figure  43.  Of  this  amount,  energy 
taxation accounted for the highest share (94% compared 
to an EU average of 77.5%). The share of transport taxes 
within  the  total  environmental  tax  revenues  stood  at 
5.7%, while pollution and resource taxes stayed under 1% 
(0.7%),  both  being  much  lower  than  the  respective  EU 
average.  

208 Eurostat, Environmental taxes accounts (env_eta). 
209  European  Commission,  The  European  Green  Deal,  COM  (2019/640 
final), p.17 
210  Article  191(2)  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European 
Union:  'Union  policy  on  the  environment  (…)  shall  be  based  on  the 
precautionary  principle  and  on  the  principles  that  preventive  action 
should  be  taken,  that  environmental  damage  should  as  a  priority  be 
rectified at source and that the polluter should pay'. 
211 Factsheet_Polluters_pay_Czech Republic_V1.pdf (europa.eu) 
212 European Commission, ’Study on assessing the environmental fiscal 
2016 
the 
reform 
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/green_semester/pdf/Eu
nomia%20EFR%20Final%20Report%20MAIN%20REPORT.pdf  

potential 

January 

EU28‘, 

for 

Interactive  Data  Platform  at  www.climatebonds.net.  Further 
Taxonomy: 

206 
Bonds 
information 
https://www.climatebonds.net/standard/taxonomy  
207 Climate Bonds Initiative, 2022. 

Climate 

on 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
                                                                 
Fossil  fuel  subsidies  are  costly  for  public  budgets  and 
make it difficult to achieve the Green Deal objectives. In 
many  cases  these  subsidies  also  deincentivise  green 
investments,  not  contributing  to  levelling  the  playing 
field.  Annual  fossil  fuel  subsidies  varied  around  EUR  55 
billion  in  the  EU  since  2015.  They  rose  by  4%  between 
2015 and 2019, although some countries (such as Latvia, 
Lithuania  Sweden,  Greece  and  Ireland),  managed  to 
decrease  them  in  this  period.  At  EU  level,  subsidies  on 
petroleum  products,  in  sectors  such  as  transport  and 
agriculture, continued to increase in 2015-2019. However 
subsidies  on  coal  and  lignite  decreased,  due  to  the 
diminishing role of solid fuels in electricity generation. As 
a share of GDP, fossil fuel subsidies ranged from 1.2% in 
Hungary  to  less  than  0.1%  in  Malta  in  2019  (being  0.4% 
on  EU  average).  Czechia  spent  EUR  1.4  billion  on  fossil 
fuel  subsidies  in  2019,  0.63%  of  its  GDP  (above  the  EU-
average). 

In  2020,  the  EU27’s  total  fossil  fuel  subsidies  decreased 
to EUR 52 billion (due to falling consumption trends amid 
the  COVID-19-related  restrictions).  Without  Member 
State  actions,  are  likely  to  rebound  as  economic  activity 
picks up from 2020213. 

Figure  44:  Trends  in  natural  gas,  petroleum  products 
and coal subsidies in Czechia214  

Czechia  38 

Current green budgeting practices  

Green  budgeting  encompasses  various  climate  and 
environmental tagging and tracking practices in budgets. 
Some  EU  Member  states  already  use  certain  green 
budgeting  practices215.  Green  budgeting  helps  identify 
and  track  green  expenditure  and  green  revenues  to 
increase transparency on the environmental implications 
of  budgetary  policies.  This  is  aimed  at  improving  policy 
coherence  and  supporting  green  policies  (including 
climate and environmental objectives) 216. 

 The Commission has also drawn up climate-proofing and 
sustainability-proofing guidance as tools to assess project 
eligibility and a project’s compliance with environmental 
legislation and criteria217. The EU Commission developed 
a green budgeting reference framework218 and launched 
a TSI project on green budgeting in 2021 to help Member 
States  develop  national  green  budgeting  frameworks  to 
improve  policy  coherence  and  support  the  green 
transition. Czechia participates in the Commission’s green 
budgeting TSI, which started in 2021. 

Overall financing compared to the needs 

The EU’s overall financing for environmental  investments 
is estimated to have been  0.6-0.7% of GDP in 2014-2020, 
comprising  both  major  EU  funds  and  national  financing. 
This  ranged  from  0.3%  (Ireland)  to  1.91%  (Bulgaria), 
depending  on  the  level  of  environmental  challenges  in 
different  Member  States.  In  2021-2027,  it  is  estimated 
that the overall EU environmental investment needs will 
range  between  0.9-1.5%  of  the  projected  GDP  (of  2021-
2027),  suggesting  a  potential  environmental  financing 
gap of 0.6-0.8% of GDP at EU level, compared to previous 
financing levels219. 

% GDP 

2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019 

2020 

Natural gas 

0.03 

0.03 

0.03 

0.04 

0.04 

0.04 

0.04 

Petroleum  

0.04 

0.03 

0.03 

0.04 

0.06 

0.05 

0,06 

Coal 

0.06 

0.06 

0.05 

0.04 

0.02 

0.,0

0.03 

2 

0.04 

0.06 

0.01 

213 State of the Energy Union report, COM(2021) 950 and Annex 
214 OECD, Fossil Fuel Subsidy Tracker. 

215 European Commission, Green Budgeting Practices in the EU: A First 
Review, 2021. 
216  European  Commission,  European  Commission  Green  Budgeting 
Reference  Framework.  European  Commission,  Green  Budgeting  in  the 
EU Key insights from the 2021 Commission survey. 
217 European Commission, Technical guidance on sustainability proofing 
for the InvestEU Fund. 
218  European  Commission,  Green  Budgeting  Reference  Framework, 
based  on  the  review  of  the  OECD  Paris  Collaborative  on  Green 
Budgeting initiative, 2017. 
219  DG  Environment  data  analysis.  EU  financing  sources  covered:  ESI 
Funds  (ERDF,  CF,  ESF,  YEI,  EAFRD,  EMFF),  Horizon 2020,  LIFE,  EFSI  (EU 
amount),  EIB  loans.  National  financing:  total  national  environmental 
protection  capital  expenditure  (investments)  -  source:  Eurostat  EPEA 
dataset.  Cut-off  date  for  data:  end  2021.  N.B.  The  total  financing  may 
be  higher,  in particular  through further  indirect  investments,  requiring 
further analysis in the future.   

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Figure 47: Overall environmental financing baseline 
(2014-2020) and estimated needs (2020-2030) in the EU-
27 (% of GDP)220  

 

Enhance  the  use  of  economic  instruments  to  make 
sure polluters pay. 

Czechia  39 

the 

cases. 

In  2021-2027, 

Czechia’s  environmental  financing  for  investments  was 
estimated at 1.11% of GDP per year in 2014-2020 (double  
the EU-average), relying on national financing in over two 
country’s 
thirds  of 
environmental investment needs  are estimated to reach 
over 1.43% of GDP (with partial information, available at 
country level), suggesting an environmental financing gap 
of at least 0.32% of GDP. This is likely to be higher when 
also  accouting  for  needs  currently  estimated  only  at  EU 
level  (e.g.  water  protection,  circularity,  biodiversity 
strategy  etc.).  This  can  only  be  addressed  through 
continued  strong  commitment  to  the  environment,  and 
through  the  mobilisation  of  additional  financing  for  the 
country’s remaining implementation priorities.  

2022 priority actions  

In  the  2019  EIR,  Czechia  had  one  priority  action,  which 
was to improve the capacity to use EU funds. In general, 
Czechia is on track to use the funding available for 2014-
its  RRP  and  draft  cohesion 
2020.  However, 
programmes  for  2021-2027,  the  budget  allocated  to  the 
European  Green  Deal’s 
‘zero 
pollution’  objectives  is  not  balanced.  Also,  synergies 
between policies are not always explored. Therefore, the 
folowing priority actions are recommended: 

‘decarbonisation”  and 

in 

 

Tackle the main environmental challenges affecting 
the  country  by  ensuring  adequate  funding.  This 
includes mobilising investments and using EU funds 
(30%  of  which  are  reserved  for  environmental 
objectives). 

220 Eurostat, ESI Funds Open Data, 2021. 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Czech Republic  40 

6. Environmental governance  

Information, public participation and access to 
justice 

Citizens  can  more  effectively  protect  the  environment  if 
they  can  rely  on  the  three  ‘pillars’  of  the  Aarhus 
Convention:  
(i) access to information;  
(ii) public participation in decision-making 
(iii) access to justice in environmental matters.  

It is of crucial importance to public authorities, the public 
and businesses that environmental information is shared 
efficiently  and  effectively221.  Public  participation  allows  
authorities  to  make  decisions  that  take  public  concerns 
into account. Access to justice is a set of guarantees that 
allows  citizens  and  NGOs  to  use  national  courts  to 
protect the environment222. It includes the right to bring 
legal challenges (‘legal standing’)223.  

Environmental information 

Czechia’s  implementation  of  the  INSPIRE  Directive  could 
be  better.  Its  performance  has  been  reviewed  based  on 
its  2021  country  factsheet224.  Data  identification  and 
documentation 
and 
implementation  levels  have  improved.  However,  more 
efforts are needed to:  

progressed 

slowly, 

has 

  make the data more widely accessible;  
 

environmental 

prioritise 
in 
implementation,  especially  those  identified  as 
high-value  spatial  datasets  for  implementing 
environmental legislation225. 

datasets 

221  The  Aarhus  Convention,  the  Access  to  Environmental  Information 
Directive  (Directive  2003/4/EC)  and  the  INSPIRE  Directive,  (Directive 
2007/2/EC)  together  create  a  legal  foundation  for  the  sharing  of 
environmental  information  between  public  authorities  and  with  the 
public. This EIR focuses on the INSPIRE Directive's implementation. 
222 These guarantees are explained in the Commission Notice on access 
to  justice  in  environmental  matters,  OJL  275,  18.8.2017  and  a  related 
Citizen's Guide. 
223 This EIR focuses on the means used by Member States to guarantee 
rights of access to justice, legal standing and to overcome other major 
barriers to bringing cases on nature and air pollution. 
224 https://inspire.ec.europa.eu/INSPIRE-in-your-Country/CZ. 
225 European Commission, List of high value spatial data sets. 

Table  4:  Country  dashboard  on  the  implementation  of 
the INSPIRE Directive, 2016-2020226 

2016 

2020 

Legend 

Effective  coordination  and  data 
sharing 

Ensure 
effective 
coordination  

sharing 

Data 
without 
obstacle  

■  ■ 

■  ■ 

INSPIRE performance indicators 

i.  Conformity 
of metadata  

■  ■ 

ii.  Conformity 
of spatial data 
sets227 

iii. 
Accessibility 
of spatial data 
through 
sets 
view 
and 
download 
services 

iv.  Conformity 
of 
network 
services 

■  ■ 

■  ■ 

■  ■ 

■ 

Implementation 
is 
of  this  provision 
advanced  or 
well 
completed. 
(nearly) 
Outstanding 
issues 
are minor and can be 
easily. 
addressed 
Percentage: >89% 

■  Implementation 

of  this  provision  has 
started  and  made 
some  or  substantial 
progress  but  is  still 
not 
to  be 
complete. 
Percentage: 31–89% 

close 

■ 

Implementation 
is 
of  this  provision 
significantly 
falling 
behind. 
Serious 
efforts  are  necessary 
close 
to 
implementation  gap. 
Percentage: <31% 

Public participation 

information 

documentation 

Detailed 
on 
and 
Environmental Impact Assessment  (EIA) and on Strategic 
Environmental  Assessment  (SEA) 
in  the 
EIA/SEA  information  system228.  However,  the  website 
provides faulty links to the relevant documents, and does 
facilitate  or  encourage  public  participation. 
not 

is  available 

226 INSPIRE knowledge base, 2021. 
227 The deadlines for implementation of the spatial data interoperability 
were  in  2016  still  in  the  future:  23/11/2017  for  Annex  I  data  and 
21/10/2020 for Annex II and III data. It must be also considered that this 
conformity indicator will in many cases never reach 100% conformity as 
majority  of  the  countries  provide  as-is-data  sets  in  addition  to  the 
INSPIRE harmonised data sets. 
228 https://portal.cenia.cz/eiasea/view/eia100_cr 

Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czech Republic 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
  
  
                                                                 
Information on how to participate is, however, provided 
by NGOs and the Frank Bold law firm.  

As  no  data  is  published  on  participation  in  EIA  and  SEA 
decision-making, it is difficult to assess if whether public 
is  becoming  more  or  less  engaged.  The  Ministry  of  the 
Environment’s  annual  statistical  publication229  includes 
results  of  a  survey,  one  of  whose  questions  asks 
respondents if they had tried to influence in any way the 
decisions  of  authorities  on  environmental  issues.  The 
percentage  of  positive  answers  declined  from  10%  in 
2008 to 7% in 2018. 

to 

facilitate 

A  priority  action  addressed  to  Czechia  in  the  2019  EIR 
was 
the 
implementation  of  EU  environmental 
legislation. 
However, Czechia has made limited progress in this area 
since. 

participation 

public 

in 

Access to justice  

NGOs can have the right to legal standing only when they 
can  prove  that  their  rights  are  concerned,  but  requests 
are easily accepted. There are however, some difficulties 
in challenging plans and programmes.  There is a system 
of  regular  supervision  of  legally  binding  acts  but  it  is 
barely  accessible  for  the  members  of  the  public  and 
NGOs. They can only call cases to the attention of those 
initiate  an 
bodies  or  officials  who  are  entitled  to 
Laws  which 
supervision  procedure. 
extraordinary 
regulate  plans  and  programmes  that  are  specifically 
required  by  EU  legislation  do  not  provide  for  specific 
rules  for  an  administrative  or 
judicial  review.  The 
effectiveness  of  access  to  justice  in  the  national  courts 
increased  following  by  the  change  in  national  case  law, 
according  to  which  environmental  NGOs  can  challenge 
both the substantive and the procedural legality general 
environmental  emasures  and  protect  the  right  of  their 
members to a favourable environment.  

There is some information available on access to justice, 
usually 
in  Czech,  maintained  by  the  government. 
However, this information needs to be searched for. 

The  amended  EIA  Directive  has  still  not  been  correctly 
transposed  into  national  law  230.  Several  shortcomings 
have  recently  been  remedied  by  by  amending  national 
EIA  Act.  This  is  part  of  the  Building  Act  re-codification 
package which should accelerate  permitting  procedures 
restricts  environmental 
it 
for  projects,  although 

Czechia  41 

protection and may affect the rights of public and public 
concerned  granted  under  the  EIA  Directive231.  For 
example,  the  amendment  of  the  Administrative  Court 
procedure Code which is part of the package introduces a 
possibility to impose a fine for a submission that follows 
an  obvious  abuse  of  rights  which  might  clash  with  the 
requirement  that  certain  judicial  procedures  not  be 
prohibitively  expensive,  laid  down  by  Article  9(4)  of  the 
Convention on access to information, public participation 
in decision-making and access to justice in environmental 
matters  and  by  the  EIA  Directive.  The  whole  legislation 
package  should  take  effect  in  July  2023  but  the  Czech 
government has already proposed additional amenments 
before this date. The Commission will carefully assess the 
conformity of the legislative package with EU law once all 
modifications are finalised and will take further action if 
the EU standards are breached.   

2022 priority actions 

 

 

 

it  comes 

to  courts  by 

Supplement the information available on the EIA 
information  system  with 
links  and  detailed 
information on how the public can participate. 
Collect and publish data on public  participation 
in the EIA and SEA processes, and take action to 
address any reduction in engagement. 
the  public 
Improve  access 
concerned  when 
to  challenging 
administrative  or  regulatory  decisions  and 
omissions  also 
in 
particular on water, nature and air quality. 
  Better  inform  the  public  about  their  access  to 
justice rights, in particular  by  providing links on 
judicial  and  administrative  portals 
the 
Commission’s  eJustice  fact  sheets  on  access  to 
justice in environmental matters232. 
Complete  transposition  of  the  revised  EIA  
Directive  

in  the  planning  context, 

to 

 

  Make  spatial  data  more  widely  accessible  and 
prioritise  the  environmental  datasets  of  the 
INSPIRE  Directive,  especially  high-value  spatial 
datasets 
implementing  environmental 
legislation. 

for 

Compliance assurance  

Environmental compliance assurance covers all the work 
that 
undertaken  by  public  authorities 

to  ensure 

229 
https://www.mzp.cz/cz/statisticka_rocenka_zivotniho_prostredi_publik
ace  
230  Impact  Assessment:  Commission  urges  CZECHIA  and  CYPRUS  to 
impact  assessment:  May 
correct  their  systems  of  environmental 
infringements package: key decisions (europa.eu) 

231  Stavební  zákon  vyžaduje  zásadní  revizi,  účinnost  je  třeba  odložit 
nejméně o dva roky | Zelený kruh (zelenykruh.cz) 
232 
https://e-
justice.europa.eu/content_access_to_justice_in_environmental_matter
s-300-en.do  

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
industries,  farmers  and  others  fulfil  their  obligations  to 
protect water, air and nature, and manage waste233.  
It includes support measures provided by the authorities 
such as: 
(i) compliance promotion 234;  
(ii)  inspections and other checks that they carry out, i.e. 
compliance monitoring 235;  
(iii)the  steps  that  they  take  to  stop  breaches,  impose 
sanctions  and  require  damage  to  be  remedied,  i.e. 
enforcement236.  
Citizen  science  and  complaints  enable  authorities  to 
liability237 
focus  their  efforts  better.  Environmental 
ensures tat the polluter pays to remedy any damage.   

Compliance promotion and monitoring 

Information  on  the  website  of  the  Ministry  of  the 
Environment  about  the  Habitats  and  Birds  Directives  is 
not  specifically  targeted  at  land  managers  but  does 
contain  details  of  specific  actions  which  would  be 
beneficial to individual species. If farmers were searching 
for  such  information  they  would  be  able  to  find  it,  but 
they are not proactively supplied with it. For the Nitrates 
Directive,  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  provides  detailed 
information on cross-compliance requirements, but does 
not  have  much  information  on  specific  further  actions 
that would be beneficial. In any event  there is a  specific 
website238  with  practical  information,  and  including  on 
trainings. 

As  noted  in  the  2019  EIR,  the  Czech  Inspectorate  of 
Environment publishes yearly inspection plans239, as well 
as  annual  reports240  which  contain  summary  data  on 
inspections performed, including the list  and description 
of  the  most  significant  instances  of  non-compliance  in 
with  national  law.  However,  there  is  little  detailed 
information  on  the  follow-up  to  breaches,  or  repeated 
is  aggregated  and 
cases  of  non-compliance.  Data 

233 
 The concept is explained in detail in the Communication on EU 
actions  to  improve  environmental  compliance  and  governance 
COM(2018)10  and  the  related  Commission  staff  working 
document, SWD(2018)10.  
234 This EIR focuses on the help given to farmers to comply with 
nature and nitrates legislation.  
235  This  EIR  focuses  on 
installations.  
236 This EIR focuses on the availability of enforcement data and 
co-ordination  between  authorities  to  tackle  environmental 
crime. 
237  The  Environmental  Liability  Directive,  2004/35,  creates  the 
framework. 
238 http://www.nitrat.cz 
239 https://www.cizp.cz/Plany-cinnosti 
240 https://www.cizp.cz/Vyrocni-zpravy 

inspections  of  major 

industrial 

Czechia  42 

structured  by  sector,  with  details  provided  only  for 
selected cases. 

Complaint handling and citizen science 

While  the  Ministry  of  the  Environment’s  website  does 
not  contain  details  of  complaint  procedures,  a  webpage   
of the Czech Inspection of Environment titled ‘Submitting 
suggestions and complaints’241 provides clear instructions 
on  how  to  submit  a  complaint  about  environmental 
nuisances  or  environmental  damage,  with  general 
information and contacts for local offices. The website of 
the  State  Agriculture  and  Food  Inspection  contains  a 
short section242 on complaints and suggestions. 

is 

There 
limited  material  available  on  government 
websites  encouraging  citizens  to  provide  information  or 
reporting  how  such  information  is  used.  The  complaints 
pages referred to above  say that citizens must  expressly 
state  if  they  want  to  be  informed  about  how  their 
complaint  or  information  is  dealt  with.  There  does  not 
appear to be any structured information about the use of 
complaints  or  citizens’ 
reports  of  environmental 
infringements.  Some  NGOs  provide  more  specific 
information on how to pursue complaints. 

Enforcement 

The  Czech  Police  publish  data243  on  the  numbers  of 
identified  and  successfully  investigated  environmental 
crimes, as part of its wider reporting on its activities. The 
Ministry of Justice also publishes data  on environmental 
crimes  which  have  been  brought  to  trial,  as  well  as    on 
the outcomes of criminal proceedings244. 

on 

the 

2018 

evaluation 

A 
Czechia’s  
report 
implementation of European policies aimed at preventing 
and  combating  environmental  erime245  found  that  “No 
single  strategic  document  setting  out  a  comprehensive 
policy  and  establishing  a  coordinated  national  approach 
and  relevant  priorities  in  respect  of  actions  against 
environmental crime has been developed in Czechia yet.” 
In response, the  government  has adopted a Strategy  for 
2021-2023  to  prevent  and  fight  against  waste-related 
crime246,  which  sets  out  steps  to  improve  coordination 

241 https://www.cizp.cz/Podavani-podnetu-stiznosti 
242 https://www.szpi.gov.cz/clanek/kontakty-pro-verejnost.aspx  
243 www.policie.cz/statistiky-kriminalita.aspx 
244 https://cslav.justice.cz/InfoData/prehledy-statistickych-listu.html 
245  https://www.mvcr.cz/soubor/evaluation-report-on-the-8th-round-
of-mutual-evaluations-the-practical-implementation-and-operation-of-
european-policies-on-preventing-and-combating-environmental-crime-
report-on-the-cz.aspx, Council document 14129/18. 
246 
waste-related-crime-for-the-years-2021-2023.aspx 

https://www.mvcr.cz/soubor/strategy-to-prevent-and-combat-

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
and  the  sharing  of  information  –  although  they  are  still 
under  implementation. 

Effectiveness of environmental 
administrations  

Czechia  43 

Environmental Liability Directive 

Czechia  manages  a  national  register  of  environmental 
damages  called  SEKM247,  in  which  individual  cases  of 
environmental  damages  and  suspected  environmental 
damages are recorded.  SEKM is a system established by 
the Ministry of the Environment. The Czech Inspectorate 
of Environment  website states  (page last  updated 2018) 
that to date there have been no cases falling within the 
scope  of  the  Czech  Environmental  Liability  Act.  A  2020 
report for the Commission248 states that financial security 
for most environmental liability risks is widely available. 

2022 priority actions 

 

 

 

 

 

on 

and 
environmental 

Improve  the  material  available  to  farmers  and 
land  managers  on  measures  to  help  them  to 
implement Nature and Nitrates Directives. 
Provide public access to detailed information on 
the  follow-up  to  breaches  or  repeated  cases  of 
non-compliance identified during inspections. 
up-to-date 
detailed 
Provide  more 
information 
damages, 
including  by  setting  up  a  central  database  or 
registry with data on environmental incidents or 
ELD  cases  and  encourage  citizens  to  report  on 
environmental damages. 
Follow 
improve 
coordination  among  public  authorities  h 
responsibile  for  tackling  environmental  crime 
and publish relevant information on agreements 
and coordination arrangements timely. 
Facilitate 
complain  about 
right 
environmental  damages  or  problems  of 
compliance  by  providing  visible  and  user-
friendly 
in  relevant  authorities’ 
websites  and  encourage  NGOs  or  individuals  to 
information  when 
submit 
reporting on cases of environmental damage or 
infringements. 

through  on  measures 

information 

science 

citizen 

the 

to 

to 

247 https://www.sekm.cz 
248  Improving  financial  security  in  the  context  of  the  Environmental 
Liability 
Republic”:   
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/legal/liability/pdf/Annex-I_Czech-
Republic.pdf 

Directive: 

Czech 

study 

for 

in 

involved 

implementing 

environmental 
Those 
legislation at EU, national, regional and local levels need 
to have the knowledge, tools and capacity to ensure that 
the  legislation  and  the  governance  of  the  enforcement 
process bring about the intended benefits. 

Administrative capacity and quality 

Czechia  ranks  20  out  of  180  countries  in  the  2020 
Environmental  Performanceia  are  mainly  driven  by  EU 
directives and regulations, and the relevant EU rules are 
generally  transposed in time. At present, the number of 
complaints and infringements in the environmental field 
can be considered to be around the EU average. 

Coordination and integration  

As  mentioned  in  the  2017  EIR,  the  transposition  of  the 
revised  EIA  Directive249  provides  an  opportunity  to 
streamline  the  regulatory  framework  on  environmental 
assessments.  Despite  missing  the  transposition  deadline 
(May  2017),  Czech  ia  has  transposed  the  revised  EIA 
Directive.  The  results  of  the  conformity  check  by  the 
Commission  services  are  mentioned  in  the  access  to 
justice section. 

The  Commission  encourages  the  streamlining  of  the 
environmental  assessments  to  reduce  duplication  and 
avoid  overlaps  in  environmental  assessments  applicable 
to  projects.  Moreover,  streamlining  helps  to  reduce 
unnecessary  administrative  burden  and  accelerates 
is 
decision-making, 
done  without 
compromising 
the  environmental-
250.  Czechia  has  already 
assessment  procedure 
the  environmental 
introduced  the  streamlining  of 
assessments  under  the  EIA  and  Habitats  Directives  prior 
the revision of the EIA Directive.  

provided 
it 
the  quality  of 

to  simplify 

its 
Czechia  made  significant  changes 
permitting procedures at  the end of 2021. The legislation  
is yet to fully enter into force while yet another complete 
reshuffling  of  the  system  has  not  been  also  excluded 
amid  the  controversies  over  the  reform.  This  reform  is 
the 
also 

the  national  RRP 

included 

(notably 

in 

249 Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of 
the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. 
250 The Commission issued a guidance document in 2016 regarding the 
setting  up  of  coordinated  and/or 
that  are 
simultaneously subject to assessments under the EIA Directive, Habitats 
Directive,  Water  Framework  Directive,  and  the  Industrial  Emissions 
Directive, OJ C 273, 27.7.2016, p. 1.  

joint  procedures 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia 

 
 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Czechia  44 

However, 

segment). 

further 
digitalisation 
streamlining  of  the  permitting  system  in  Czechia  should 
not  lower  the  level  of  environmental  protection  but 
rather  use 
the  EU 
environmental legislation. 

flexibilities  offered  by 

any 

the 

Reforms through the Commission’s Technical 
Support Instrument 

The Commission supports environmental implementation 
and  the  green  transition,  not  only  through  the  EU 
financing  programmes,  but  also  granting  technical 
assistance such as the TSI. 

Under  the  2019  TSI,  the  Commission  supported  two 
environmental projects in Czechia: (i)  preparation of the 
new  national  circular  economy  strategic  framework 
including  a  new  waste  management  strategy,  and  (ii) 
analysis, recommendations and legislative proposals for a 
Building Act reform in the area of spatial planning. Under 
the  2022TSI,  Czechia  developed    a  methodology  for 
applying the ‘Do No Significant Harm principle’ (DNSH) at 
national level. 

TAIEX EIR Peer to Peer Project 

The  TAIEX  EIR  Peer-to-Peer  tool  has  been  launched  by 
learning 
the  Commission  to  facilitating  peer-to-peer 
between  environmental  authorities251.  During 
the 
reporting period, Czechia participated in a  study visit on 
Successful  Bio-Waste  Recycling  in  Austria  (2019)  and 
benefited 
from  an  expert  mission  on  Circular 
Procurement  (2019).  Czechia  also  participated  in  four 
multi  country  workshops  on  the  inclusion  of  green 
criteria  in  public  procurement  (2020),  on  Sustainable 
Finance  (2020),  on  Ammonia  reducing  technology  and 
(2022)
measures 

(2021)  and  on 

zero  pollution 

251  TAIEX  -  Environmental  Implementation  Review  -  PEER  2  PEER  - 
Environment - European Commission (europa.eu) 

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Czechia  45 

 Environmental Implementation Review 2022 – Czechia