Chamber of Engineers: The Amendment to the Building Act Addresses Officials' Problems, Not Builders'

Prague – The government-approved amendment allowing for the simultaneous use of both new and original building regulations systems addresses only the problems of building authorities, but not those of builders. The cabinet made this decision contrary to the recommendation of the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers in Construction (ČKAIT) and other professional groups. The chamber stated this today in a press release. According to the Minister of Transport and recently appointed temporary coordinator for the development of building regulations, Martin Kupka (ODS), work will continue on the Builder's Portal.

The chamber had previously requested that builders should not have to upload project documentation to the central registry via the portal. According to the proposed law, while it will not be necessary to submit requests through the system launched on July 1, applicants will still have to store documentation in it.

Kupka, along with the Minister for Regional Development, Petr Kulhánek (for STAN), stated Wednesday after a government meeting that existing systems will not be further developed and that a new contract for the digitized building process will be announced. The reason, they said, is that the systems have, in some cases, not fulfilled the functions of the building law – and that the assignment of the contract for their creation was made in violation of the law.

With this rationale for not fixing the systems, the government contradicts itself by forcing builders to continue using the Builder's Portal. According to the proposed amendment, it is supposed to remain in the building law that builders or designers must upload documentation through this portal. However, they would no longer need to submit requests through the portal, and would only need to insert a link to the portal location in the documentation submitted in paper form.

"On the other hand, the same government prohibits builders from using the digital method of submitting data through data boxes or other electronic tools that functioned before July 1 and forces builders to use only the problematically functioning Builder's Portal and the central documentation repository, which it also does not intend to develop and fix for at least another 32 to 38 months," ČKAIT stated today.

The chamber had previously pointed out some issues with the Builder's Portal. For example, uploading project documentation to the central repository is sometimes impossible, and part of the documentation goes missing. Some builders cannot upload a modified version of previous documentation. Complications also arise from the fact that access to the portal can only be made through a citizen's identity, as the system is not linked to the database of authorized persons.

"Nevertheless, the new Minister for Regional Development, Petr Kulhánek, is convinced that the Builder's Portal is fully interoperable and the electronic repository is functional," the chamber added today.

Kupka acknowledged that the Builder's Portal is uncertain in some functions. "It still does not have some functions; unfortunately, this persists in the system – and it is not entirely clear when a request will be lost in the process. This must work, and (the deputy member of the government at the Ministry of Regional Development) Karel Trpkoš guarantees with his team that this will occur in a timely manner in accordance with legislative adjustments," Kupka told journalists today. According to him, work on the system will need to continue for about another month and a half.

Builders and officials have faced problems with the digitized building regulations systems since their launch on July 1. Former Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) had previously stated that the systems would be fixed, but he was ultimately dismissed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) at the beginning of September. The Pirates then exited the government. The new systems are supposed to be delivered uniformly, not in parts, and are expected to be completed by 2028.