Documents and Laws in Parliament

Scope: § 79i–§ 79; pages 1–5.

The amendment introduces the possibility of correcting correctable errors in the records of plant protection product use within 15 business days of a request from the Institute. If the original data are verifiable and do not involve concealment, intentional misrepresentation, obstruction of an inspection, violation of conditions of use, or repeated misconduct, liability for a record-keeping violation ceases upon correction. Corrections must be traceable; however, the new obligation to maintain a history of corrections does not apply retroactively to corrections made previously; this more favorable regime will also apply to cases that have not yet been finally resolved. The effective date of these rules is being changed from the fixed date of January 1, 2027, to the nearest January 1 or July 1 following the expiration of 30 days from the promulgation of the law.

Scope: Section 79; pages 1–7.

The amendment regulates the reimbursement of the Institute’s costs in connection with the mutual recognition of product authorizations, parallel trade, and minor uses. The rates are not to include unnecessary duplication of existing evaluations, and the applicant must receive a breakdown of costs and information on other chargeable activities in advance, except in cases of urgent protection of public health or the environment. Work already in progress will remain subject to the current fee schedule; the new rules will take effect no sooner than six months after their publication, while the effective date of the Act is changed from the blanket date of January 1, 2027, to a date subject to exceptions.

Scope: Sections 37–54d; pages 1–7.

The proposed amendment facilitates the extension of authorizations for plant protection products for minor uses, particularly for less common crops. The Institute will be able to use appropriate studies and assessments from other Member States or for comparable crops without compromising safety requirements or data protection. For identical applications, it will not be necessary to resubmit documentation that the Institute already has; the rules will also apply to previously submitted applications during further processing. The general effective date of the amendment is changing from the fixed date of January 1, 2027, to this date with exceptions, whereby the new rules will take effect on the first January 1 or July 1 following six months after the law’s promulgation.

Scope: Section 53; pages 1–7.

The proposed amendment simplifies the authorization process for parallel imports of plant protection products, provided that the Institute has already assessed the identity of the same products and the conditions have not changed. For complete, straightforward applications, the Institute must make a decision within 15 business days; if additional documentation is required, the procedure under the European regulation will apply. Previous assessments may also be used in proceedings already underway, but the shortened deadline applies only to new applications. The effective date of these changes is being moved from the fixed date of January 1, 2027, to the nearest January 1 or July 1 following six months after the law’s promulgation.

Scope: Sections 33–38a; pages 1–6.

The proposed amendment simplifies and clarifies the procedure for the mutual recognition of authorizations for plant protection products from other EU Member States. The Institute must utilize applicable foreign documentation, justify requests for additional studies or translations, and issue a comprehensive request to remedy deficiencies in the application within 30 days; it may not repeat requirements that have already been met without cause. In the event of a change in the authorization holder, the product shall not be re-evaluated unless the relevant circumstances have changed, provided that the protection of human health and the environment remains ensured. The effective date is changing from a uniform date of January 1, 2027, to this date with exceptions; the new authorization rules will take effect on the first January 1 or July 1 following six months after their publication.

Scope: § 24a–§ 73; pages 1–4.

The government has issued a favorable opinion on the bill, which abolishes the Czech Breeding Inspection Authority and transfers its powers to the State Veterinary Administration. However, it recommends considering postponing the merger from April 1, 2027, to January 1, 2028. It points out the need to clarify the rules for inspections, the status of breeding inspectors, the transfer of management and finances, and the terminology used in the proposal. It also requests that the financial impacts be quantified and that related regulations be amended so that the change does not create legal uncertainty.

Scope: § 16–§ 8; pages 1–4.

The government has taken a negative stance on a parliamentary bill that would lower the voting age in municipal elections from 18 to 16 and also applies to local referendums. It considers the change to be an ill-considered and haphazard intervention that would create differing rules regarding political rights for municipal and other elections. It points to higher costs, organizational complications arising from concurrent elections, and shortcomings in the transitional provisions; according to the government, any such change should not take effect until the regular municipal elections in 2030.

Scope: § 17c–§ 20ba; page 1.

The amendment extends the extraordinary sectoral tax on refining to foreign producers of mineral fuels imported into the Czech Republic. The tax for a foreign legal entity is paid by the Czech importer, and the tax base is determined based on the proportion of fuels imported into the Czech Republic. The proposal aims to eliminate the difference in taxation between domestic and foreign producers and specifies the relevant activity using the CZ-NACE code 19.2.

Scope: Part One–Part Four; § 14c–§ 27a; pages 1–4.

The amendment introduces mandatory castration or vasectomy of adult males of selected large felines and their hybrids outside of licensed zoos and conservation breeding programs. The breeder must document the procedure with records, a veterinary certificate, and photographs; in the case of a vasectomy, a histological examination is also required, although the regional veterinary administration may grant a postponement or exemption for health reasons. Failure to comply with these obligations is now punishable by fines of up to 400,000 CZK for individuals and up to 1,000,000 CZK for businesses or legal entities; a two-year transition period applies to adult males already in captivity. The proposal also corrects the numbering of related provisions and the reference to the effective date from Part Two to Part One.

Scope: Sections 27b–28; pages 1–5.

The amendment tightens penalties for animal cruelty and aligns them with the main amendment. When imposing a ban on animal breeding, the offender’s prior convictions are to be taken into account for a period of 5 years instead of 3 years. For legal entities, the maximum duration of the ban on activities is extended from 5 to 10 years.

Scope: Part One; Section 5e; pages 1–4.

The amendment extends the requirement for video surveillance at slaughterhouses to all areas where live animals are present, including holding pens, stunning, and bleeding. It eliminates the exemption for holding pens as well as for slaughterhouses that slaughter poultry, rabbits, and hares. Slaughterhouse operators are now required to retain video recordings and their backups for 90 days instead of 30, so that veterinary authorities have more time to investigate possible cruelty.

Scope: Part Two; Section 4; pages 1–5.

The amendment modifies the Veterinary Act so that the requirement to microchip dogs now also applies to breeders, suppliers, and users of laboratory animals. Their existing exemption from the electronic identification of dogs is repealed; exemptions for law enforcement and security agencies remain in effect. The goal is to establish a uniform and verifiable registry of laboratory dogs, reduce the risk of animal mix-ups, and use a less painful method of identification.

Scope: Part One–Part Two; § 4–§ 348; pages 1–4.

The proposed amendment adds a provision to the amendment to the Veterinary Act intended to curb the illegal breeding and sale of dogs. For newborn dogs, the existing requirement to record the microchip number in the standard vaccination certificate is being changed: the number must be recorded in the animal’s passport before sale or transfer, no later than three months of age. As a public document, the pet passport is intended to make it more difficult to forge documents and to strengthen veterinary inspections and oversight of breeding operations.

Scope: Sections 25–28c; pages 1–5.

The amendment adds rules regarding animals placed in shelters whose owners have failed to care for them for an extended period. The municipal office will be able to transfer ownership of an animal to the state by decision if the owner does not claim the animal after the obstacle has been removed and does not respond to a summons, or if the animal has been in the shelter for at least six months and the owner has not paid for its care for at least three months. Notices must be delivered in person, and the owner may demonstrate that there are reasons beyond their control; mere detention or serving a sentence is not sufficient. The transfer of ownership does not relieve the original owner of the obligation to pay the care costs incurred to date.

Scope: § 5i–§ 27a; pages 1–5.

The proposed amendment prohibits the sale of live fish intended for consumption by the end consumer; fish must be killed before sale. Violation of this obligation is now classified as an administrative offense committed by legal entities and self-employed individuals. The proposal justifies the change by citing the need to protect fish from stress, suffering, and improper killing after sale.

Scope: Sections 30b–30d; pages 1–12.

The amendment adds strict rules for the protection of cryptoasset tax data during domestic processing to the proposed exchange of such data; however, it does not change the scope of reporting under DAC 8. The data must be technically and logically separated by provider, foreign source, and time period, without creating a single list of cryptoasset holders.

Bulk analyses require time-limited written approval from management, while sensitive data on transfers may only be used in proceedings against a specific individual and with the consent of the other authorized party. The proposal introduces comprehensive access logs, independent system audits, an annual report to the Chamber of Deputies, and the right of individuals to find out, free of charge, how their data has been used; prior to system verification, data may only be stored and technically processed.

Scope: § 6–§ 6; pages 1–4.

The bill expands the possibility of entering into seasonal work agreements up to 1,280 hours for growers of fruit, vegetables, grapes, and nursery plants, particularly for organic growers of fruit, vegetables, and specialty herbs. Organic growers are to be eligible even without receiving subsidies, provided they were properly registered for the entire previous year and actually cultivated the crops. The proposal does not change subsidies, insurance premiums, or taxation, and compliance with the conditions is to be verifiable in the relevant records. The document also outlines options for exempting selected unusable parcels of land from property tax.

Scope: Part One; Section 13b; pages 1–5.

The amendment relaxes the originally mandatory requirement for municipalities to spay or neuter all unspayed or unneutered stray and ownerless cats and to repeatedly carry out trapping, spaying or neutering, and return. Municipalities are now required to ensure the availability of a spaying and neutering program or a similar measure in accordance with local conditions; they will determine the scope of the program themselves and may collaborate with veterinarians, animal shelters, associations, or other municipalities. Spaying and trapping may only be performed by qualified professionals; the municipality covers the costs of spaying, and spayed cats may be marked with a notch or by removing the tip of an ear before being returned or released in a suitable location.