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Environmental rules - Czech Republic

Updated 12/2012

Legal requirements

Environment law for business is enshrined in approximately twenty acts and related provisions. The bodies responsible for making sure they are implemented are the:

Inspections

If you fail to keep to the rules, penalties will be enforced for polluting the air, dumping waste, releasing effluents, extracting surface and subsurface water etc. On the other hand, environmentally-friendly behaviour is rewarded through incentives (environmental taxes, tax relief etc.), provided by the government.

The Czech Environmental Inspectorate carries out most of the compliance monitoring.

Environmental impact assessments examine the impact a project may have on the environment.

The Environmental Impact Assessment Act lays down the rules for carrying out such evaluations.

Businesses are free to go beyond the minimum environmental legal requirements at their own initiative.

Administrative procedures

Declaratory procedures

You have to satisfy certain conditions before being able to carry out certain activities:

  • obtain special permits and/or consent from the government,
  • adhere to environmental standards (emissions limits, the duty to report, preventative and remedial measures).

Integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) is a special administrative procedure that is compulsory only for certain types of business structure.

Resources

More information on environmental issues is available here:

  • Czech Environmental Inspectorate
  • Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic

Programmes

Grants, guaranteed loans, soft loans, tax advantages and other economic aid mechanisms have been set up to encourage businesses to comply with environmental laws.

The main programmes supporting businesses are the:

  • the National EMAS programme (Environmental Management System for companies)
  • National programme for labelling environmentally-friendly products and services
  • European eco-labelling programme "The Flower"
  • National programme for environmental labelling - includes the national programme for environmentally-friendly products and services, a second type of environmental labelling known as the "personal environmental commitment" in accordance with ISO 14021 and a third type of environmental labelling known as the "environmental product declaration" in accordance with ISO 14025
  • The National Programme for Cleaner Production (a strategy for the more effective use of original resources)

All of these programmes are underwritten by the Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with CENIA, the Czech Environmental Information Agency.  If you are interested in linking up with these programmes, or for related advice, contact the above organisations.

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

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