Documents and Laws in Parliament

The Government has taken a neutral position on the draft constitutional law, which would explicitly enshrine the Czech Republic’s membership in the European Union and NATO in the Constitution. However, it warns that changes to the Constitution should be exceptional and based on a broader expert and public debate. According to the government, the proposal has no clear legal implications and is more of a symbolic declaration, as EU and NATO membership already derives from international treaties and is indirectly protected by the current constitutional arrangements. The government also points out that most EU and NATO states do not directly state their membership of these organisations in their constitutions.

The Government issues a disapproving opinion on the MPs’ proposal to amend the Excise Duty Act to temporarily reduce fuel tax. It states that it has already taken its own measures to mitigate the rise in fuel prices, including the mass remission of part of the excise duty on mineral oils and the introduction of maximum margin regulation through maximum daily prices. The Government therefore considers that the proposed amendment is not necessary as the same objective is already being achieved by existing measures.

The document contains a written interpellation to the Minister of Agriculture regarding the contamination of infant formula with the cereulid toxin and the possible failure of the consumer protection system in the Czech Republic. The questions focus in particular on the role of the State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) as the contact point for the RASFF system, delays in informing the public, controls on recalled products and the responsibility of manufacturers. In its reply, the ministry states that most of the recalls were preventive, companies have complied with their obligations according to the available information, and SZPI has carried out dozens of inspections and laboratory tests. At the same time, the Czech Republic supports further investigations at EU level and the possible introduction of mandatory testing of infant formula for cereulicide toxin.

The amendment modifies the rules for the response of the Government and the Ministry of Finance to a dissenting opinion of the National Budget Council in the formulation of the budget and expenditure frameworks. In all variants, the requirements for the justification of the disagreement are tightened, which must now include a quantification of the impact on the balance and debt, identification of risks and a proposal for corrective measures. In addition, the stricter options introduce an obligation to take compensatory measures for deviations from the fiscal rules or a procedural delay before the budget submission in order to strengthen the Council’s oversight role. The aim is to increase transparency, government accountability and the effectiveness of the Czech fiscal framework in relation to EU rules.

The amendment tightens the rules for deviating from the established growth in net expenditure in the state budget. The Ministry of Finance can now exceed the expenditure trajectory only up to 0.25% of GDP per year and only if it is in line with the limits set by the EU Council. The aim is to strengthen fiscal discipline, the predictability of budgetary policy and to prevent a gradual loosening of expenditure limits. The limits will not apply in cases provided for by EU law, when escape clauses are used or when the EU Council sets a different expenditure growth.

The amendment strengthens the enforceability of fiscal rules in case of a breach of the expenditure framework or the net expenditure growth rule. It offers three alternatives: an automatic reduction of the expenditure framework in subsequent years, an obligation for the ministry to prepare a corrective plan assessed by the National Budget Council, or a ban on the submission of a state budget that does not comply with the rules. The aim is to increase fiscal discipline, transparency and credibility of the Czech fiscal framework vis-à-vis the EU and financial markets. All options represent stricter national rules compatible with the new European fiscal framework.

The amendment tightens the fiscal rules by introducing an additional reduction of the state budget expenditure framework below the level set under European rules. It proposes to create a “fiscal buffer” of a fraction of GDP to strengthen the stability of public finances and create room to cope with economic shocks. It presents three options: a fixed reduction of 0.5% of GDP, a cyclically differentiated reduction according to economic growth (0.5% or 0.25% of GDP), or a more stringent reduction depending on the level of public debt (up to 1% of GDP). The measure is designed as a more stringent national complement to the new European fiscal framework.

The amendment clarifies the rules for convening a meeting of a committee of the Chamber of Deputies. If the committee is not fully populated at the time of the request, the number of members required to convene a meeting will be calculated only from the currently elected members, not from the total number of members scheduled. The aim is to avoid situations where vacancies make it impossible for a committee to convene and carry out its work, particularly in transitional periods after the establishment of the House.

The amendment adds to the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies the principle of proportional representation in the filling of the offices of President and Vice-Presidents of the Chamber. The same principle is to be applied to the appointment of the chairmen and vice-chairmen of committees, commissions and standing delegations according to the strength of the Members’ groups resulting from the elections. The principle is declaratory - it is not a strict legal obligation or a sanctioned rule. The aim is to increase the transparency, predictability and legitimacy of the distribution of functions in the Chamber.

The amendment clarifies the rules for speaking in debates in the Chamber of Deputies. It explicitly states that a Member, a member of the Government or other persons present may not address specific Members or other persons in the Chamber directly and that all questions must be directed through the Presiding Officer. The aim is to remove interpretive ambiguity, to strengthen order in proceedings and to limit personal exchanges between speakers. At the same time, the following points were renumbered technically.

The amendment introduces the new institution of “urgent business” into the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber of Deputies, which will allow a Member’s caucus to place on the agenda a quick discussion of a current public issue without the need for a tabled motion. Precise rules are laid down: the request may be made only after the agenda has been approved, the debate may begin no earlier than two hours later and the debate is limited to a maximum of one hour with five-minute speeches. Each club may use this procedure only once every six months and only one such matter may be discussed per sitting day. The aim is to allow a swift parliamentary response to emergencies, but also to prevent abuse for obstruction.

The document submits the ratification of the agreement between the Czech Republic and Kenya on defence cooperation to the Parliament of the Czech Republic for approval. The agreement establishes a legal framework for long-term military cooperation, for example in training, joint exercises, exchange of information or defence industry. It crucially regulates the legal status of seconded military personnel, who must respect the legal order of the other state on its territory. The implementation of the agreement will be ensured by the Ministry of Defence and should not have additional impacts on the state budget.

The document asks the Parliament of the Czech Republic to agree to ratify the acts of the Universal Postal Union adopted at the Extraordinary Congress in Riyadh in 2023. These acts change the rules of operation of the international postal services, expand the involvement of other entities in the activities of the organisation and modernise postal financial services, including measures against money laundering and terrorist financing. They also modify the technical and operational rules for postal payments, interoperability of systems, data protection and the terms and conditions of postal services and shipments. It also includes a climate commitment for postal operators and a political declaration supporting the Ukrainian postal sector and condemning Russian aggression.

The bill extensively amends the Code of Civil Procedure and related regulations, in particular to introduce protections against abusive lawsuits (SLAPPs) that threaten freedom of expression and participation in public debate. Courts will hear such cases on a priority basis, may require security for costs, impose sanctions for abusive conduct, and allow publication of a dismissal at the plaintiff’s expense. The amendment also regulates the service of court documents abroad, including advances for translation and service, and changes the running of procedural time limits. At the same time, it introduces new court fees for certain appeals and clarifies the rules on compensation for the exercise of public authority, for example when a prosecution is dismissed on the grounds of limitation.

The amendment extends the investment possibilities of occupational pension funds to securities of private equity and venture capital funds and introduces legal definitions of these funds. It also stipulates that these investments may account for a maximum of 10% of the assets of the participating fund. If their share reaches at least 5% of the fund’s assets, the maximum management fee may be increased by 0.2 percentage points. The proposal also allows for limited investments in shares traded on regulated markets even for a mandatory conservative fund.

The amendment reduces the maximum fees of pension companies in supplementary pension savings. The asset management fee limit for participating funds is unified and reduced from the current up to 1% to 0.4% per year and the maximum performance fee is reduced from 15% to 10% of the appreciation. At the same time, the coefficient for calculating the management fee for transformed funds is reduced from 0.8% to 0.4%. The aim is to reduce the costliness of the scheme and increase the net returns for pension scheme members.

The amendment adds a new provision to the Housing Support Act on organisational requirements for housing contact points. Municipalities with extended powers will be obliged to ensure the continuous improvement of the qualifications of officials providing services there. The Ministry of Regional Development will be empowered to establish by decree further qualification requirements, the scope of training, minimum office hours and other organisational and technical conditions. The aim is to unify and improve the quality of housing advice throughout the country.

The amendment modifies the position of municipal districts and urban districts in the provision of housing support. For the purposes of the Act, municipalities or districts that are entrusted with a dwelling will be regarded as the owners of the dwelling. At the same time, they may be directly mandated to provide housing support measures and will be treated in proceedings in a similar way to independent municipalities. The aim is to simplify administration, allow for separate accounting of contributions and avoid problems where mistakes by one borough affect the whole city.

The amendment eases the conditions for entry into the housing support system by increasing the income limit for the approval of the Labour Office from 1.43 times to twice the minimum subsistence level. At the same time, the threshold for eligible housing costs is increased from the 75th to the 85th percentile of rent. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is now to announce the relevant amounts annually and the government’s authority to change these parameters by regulation and related government regulations is removed. The draft also introduces transitional provisions and provides for the main changes to take effect from 1 July 2026.