CZECH REPUBLIC Law and Practice Contributed by: Martin Řanda, Jan Lexa, Vít Fišer and Adam Vopelka, act legal
16. Environmental Disclosure and Information 16.1 Disclosure and Reporting Requirements The Czech Republic has established a comprehen- sive system of mandatory disclosure of environmental information, which imposes obligations on both pri- vate entities and public authorities. The purpose is to ensure transparency, inform the public and enable oversight of compliance with environmental regula- tions. Information must be provided both to the regu- latory authorities and to the wider public, on the basis of various legislative instruments, as follows. The IPO System The IPO System maintains a register of inspection technicians for stationary combustion sources. The Integrated Pollution Register The Integrated Pollution Register offers detailed infor- mation on the quantities of hazardous substances released into the environment by undertakings, includ- ing emissions into air, water and soil, and transfers of The Contaminated Sites Register was established by the Ministry of the Environment for the registra- tion, monitoring and prioritisation of contaminated or potentially contaminated sites and locations with environmental damage. The CITES Register The CITES Register provides information services accessible both to the public and to the authorities responsible for regulating trade in endangered spe- cies. It covers, inter alia: • the issuance, administration and supervision of CITES permits; • the management of a centralised database of seized illegally held specimens; and • the recording of offences in the area of trade with endangered species. pollutants in waste and waste water. The Contaminated Sites Register
The Integrated System for Fulfilling Reporting Obligations The Integrated System for Fulfilling Reporting Obliga- tions serves as the electronic platform for the submis- sion and processing of selected environmental reports (regarding air, water and soil pollution, waste and packaging records, as well as the disposal of electri- cal equipment or records of end-of-life vehicles in the relevant facilities). The Hazardous Waste Shipment Registration System The Hazardous Waste Shipment Registration System enables the electronic submission and processing of hazardous waste shipment notification forms, and provides access to the information for the relevant authorities. The Hazardous Waste Assessment System The Hazardous Waste Assessment System is used for applications and the issuance of certificates exclud- ing hazardous waste characteristics, or notifications confirming that certain waste displays hazardous properties. The Waste Management Information System The Waste Management Information System supplies essential data for decision-making, monitoring and statistical purposes in the field of waste management. The Integrated Prevention Information System The Integrated Prevention Information System is designed to secure compliance with disclosure obli- gations and public access requirements under Act No 76/2002 Coll, on Integrated Prevention, as amended. This includes publication of a summary of applica- tions, assessments of the best available techniques and integrated permit decisions. Failure to disclose or report environmental information constitutes an administrative offence and is subject to sanctions. 16.2 Public Environmental Information The right to obtain environmental information is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. This right is subject to the limitations set out in the law that imple-
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