Czech Republic - Environment

Short-term priorities

• continued transposition of framework legislation;
• development of detailed approximation programmes and implementation strategies related to individual acts;
• planning and initial implementation of these programmes and strategies.

Assessment (October 1999)

These priorities have been met only in part.

Some progress has been made on aligning legislation, particularly on water protection and the management of waste and chemicals. However, there has been no progress with the transposition of framework legislation or the implementation of approximation programmes or strategies related to individual acts.

Assessment (November 2000)

Although the transposition of framework legislation has begun in certain areas such as water quality, air quality and waste management, many measures still need to be taken. The directive on environment impact assessment has not been transposed. No strategy has been devised for investing in the environment.

Assessment (November 2001)

Good progress has been achieved in alignment on the Community legislation, except on air protection, nature protection and industrial pollution prevention and control. An investment strategy for the environment is needed.

Assessment (October 2002)

Progress has been made towards completing the transposition of the acquis, particularly with regard to integrated pollution prevention and control. A priority should be transposition of the nature protection legislation.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Medium-term priorities

• development of monitoring and implementation control structures and capacities;
• on-going planning of approximation programmes related to individual legal acts;
• particular emphasis on air, water and waste;
• environmental protection requirements and the need for sustainable development need to be integrated into the definition and implementation of national sectoral policies.

Assessment (October 1999)

Some progress has been achieved in aligning sectoral legislation.

Assessment (November 2000)

Administrative capacity has been stepped up by increasing the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Czech environmental inspection authority.

Assessment (November 2001)

Alignment remains to be completed in the fields of nature protection, air protection and industrial pollution control. There are still gaps in the legislation to implement and enforce the acquis. There is a need to strengthen administrative capacity and coordination between different governmental bodies.

Assessment (October 2002)

Some provisions of the new legislation on water and waste do not accord with the acquis. Further training activities are needed in relation to environmental impact assessment. In the water sector, the monitoring network still needs to be brought in line with acquis requirements concerning drinking and groundwater, nitrates and dangerous substances. Concerning dangerous substances, the main sources of pollution have been identified and the inventory has been updated. For biocides, an Authorisation Authority has been set up and a classification, packaging and labelling system has been established. Further efforts are needed on nature protection. Some progress has been made with stepping up administrative, monitoring and enforcement capacity at national and regional level. Investment planning capacity needs to be further improved. A national strategy for sustainable development has been adopted.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Following the signing of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.

REFERENCES

Decision 98/267/EC of 30.03.1998Official Journal L 121 of 23.04.1998

Decision 1999/858/EC of 6.12.1999Official Journal L 335 of 28.12.1999

Commission opinion COM(97) 2009 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(98) 708 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(1999) 503 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2000) 703 finalNot published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2001) 700 final - SEC(2001) 1746Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2002) 700 final - SEC(2002) 1402Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2003) 675 final - SEC(2003) 1200Not published in the Official Journal

Treaty of Accession to the European Union [Official Journal L 236, 23.09.2003]

Last updated: 19.11.2004