Czech Republic outlines strategic priorities for EU funds through 2034

The Czech Ministry of Regional Development has released strategic priorities for the National and Regional Partnership Plan (NRPP) covering the period from 2028 to 2034. This new framework is intended to replace current partnership agreements and operational programs, consolidating European funding into a single plan. The new system will focus heavily on investment impacts, utilizing milestones and predefined goals; if a member state fails to achieve these results, the European Commission may withhold funds, requiring the state to cover costs from its own resources.

Key priority areas include transport, energy, research and innovation, digitalization, education, labor markets, healthcare, affordable housing, and environmental protection. The plan also incorporates agricultural and fisheries policies.

Separately, Environment Minister Igor Červený has indicated that the government will not meet the September 1 deadline for submitting the National Nature Recovery Plan to the European Commission. The delay is due to uncertainty regarding the specific amount of EU funding available for the initiative. The plan aims to restore 30 percent of degraded sites by 2030 to increase resilience against drought and climate change, though experts have raised debates regarding the use of large concrete reservoirs versus smaller-scale landscape interventions.