RIA in Czechia

The vast majority of primary legislation in the Czech Republic is being prepared by the government. The impacts of pending regulation are being assessed since 2007 when RIA was formalized in the Czech legislative process.

Ex ante evaluation

According to the government resolution, lawmakers are obliged to carry out impact assessments following the RIA Guidelines. Impact assessments are required for every legislative intention prepared by the government as well as for any regulation where substantive costs to businesses, administrations and citizens are expected. Legislation proposed by Members of Parliament and Local & Regional Authorities is not subject to RIA yet.

The RIA reports are being submitted to RIA Unit at the Office of the Government for formal check and then to the independent RIA Board for more extensive scrutiny.

■ Ex post evaluation

Ex post assessments are usually carried out internally by individual departments.

To make the findings public and the whole process more transparent, new formal guidelines for ex post evaluation reports were drafted and currently (2021) are being assessed in the interdepartmental procedure.

■ Administrative burden reduction

Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) analyses and reduces the regulatory burden on entrepreneurs.

Ministry of the Interior (MV) monitors the burden on public administration and Local & Regional Authorities.

Office of the Government (ÚV) provides overall horizontal coordination and guidance for RIA and better regulation.

Government Legislative Council

Legislativní rada vlády (LRV) is an advisory body to the Czech government consisting of 30 members, mostly external experts.

A highly respected authority with half a century long tradition dating back to 1969, LRV usually meets every fortnight and discusses all legislative proposals that are about to be submitted to the government. 

LRV is traditionally being chaired by a member of the government – currently by the Minister of Justice. 

RIA Board

RIA Board has been established in 2011 by the Czech government as an independent expert working body to its Legislative Council (LRV).

RIA Board scrutinizes the quality of RIA reports, provides RIA related consultations and gives recommendations on which legislative proposal should be accompanied by a RIA report.

RIA Board currently has 13 members, external experts in various fields, and is chaired by Professor Jiřina Jílková, an environmental economist.

■ RegWatchEurope

RIA Board is a member of RegWatchEurope, a network of independent regulatory oversight bodies. Together with colleagues from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, Czech representatives aim to promote the importance of better regulation and of scrutinizing the impacts of new and amended legislation on different target groups.

RIA Board meetings since 2012

legislative proposals assessed

opinions issued

RIA Unit

RIA Unit at the Office of the Government consists of 5 civil servants who analyse RIA reports submitted by lawmakers before proceeding them to further scrutiny by RIA Board.

RIA Unit provides methodological guidance and also organizes workshops and seminars for civil servants who prepare impact assessments. In 2018, RIA Unit trained total 299 civil servants.

RIA Unit also runs website ria.vlada.cz with all the documents and information lawmakers need for a successful preparation of RIA.

Last but not least, RIA Unit fosters international cooperation and exchange of better regulation practices. Its employees represent the Czech Republic at various international forums:

 

■ Questions? Comments?

We are well aware that the majority of resources at this website is in Czech. Should you have any inquiries, please forward them to ria@vlada.cz. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Meanwhile, you can download the leaflet RIA in Czechia in PDF.