Czech Building Act Amendment Faces Criticism from Professional Groups

Professional organisations in the Czech Republic have raised concerns over proposed amendments to the country’s Building Act, warning that the changes could disrupt the current permitting system rather than accelerate construction activity.

Representatives of municipalities, architects, engineers, public administration officials and environmental groups said during a discussion in the Chamber of Deputies that the proposed legislation contains significant shortcomings and could increase operational costs while creating uncertainty for existing staff within building authorities.

The amendment, which is scheduled for a second reading in parliament this week, would introduce a centralised building administration system. However, critics argue that the proposal was submitted through a parliamentary motion without undergoing a standard consultation process or regulatory impact assessment.

According to Jindra Tužilová, lawmakers are expected to vote on legislation whose final form has not been fully available to the public due to the legislative process used for its submission. She added that making substantial changes to the amendment later in the parliamentary process would be difficult.

Under the proposed timetable, a new central Territorial Development Office would be established in 2027, with the reform expected to be fully implemented from January 2028. However, professional groups argue that the transfer of employees from municipal building authorities to state administration structures remains unresolved.

Jan Holický said municipal employees could face less favourable conditions under the state system, as municipalities are currently able to offer benefits that state institutions cannot provide. He warned that some employees may choose not to remain in the system after the transition.

Professional organisations also questioned the financial implications of the reform, arguing that operating costs for the new structure could exceed those of the current decentralised system.

Jan Kasl said the amendment contains numerous technical and procedural issues. According to Kasl, the broader concern is the risk that the reform could weaken the overall permitting framework during the transition period. He noted that, during implementation, larger projects overseen by the Transport and Energy Building Authority could receive priority attention.

Environmental organisation Arnika also criticised the proposed framework, arguing that it could reduce environmental oversight and weaken public participation in permitting processes. Representatives expressed concern over the concentration of authority within the planned central office structure.

The Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic took a more supportive position, stating that a centralised building administration could help accelerate infrastructure development and improve permitting efficiency for strategic projects.

Source: CTK