FÓRUM ČESKÉHO STAVEBNICTVÍ 2016 will be dedicated to the outlook for the upcoming period

On March 1, 2016, the 12th edition of the Forum of Czech Construction will take place in Prague, aiming to build on the optimistic developments of recent months and to further reflect the improving situation in the construction sector. The positive approach is already reflected in the very name of this year’s edition – Construction 2020: Key Factors for Development.

This year’s edition of the industry meeting will bring a number of forecasts for 2020 as well as ample space for lively and interactive discussions among participants. The introductory part will focus on the macroeconomic outlook with an emphasis on construction. "The Czech economy will slow down this year from last year's high pace, and likely so will civil engineering. Ground construction is slowly waking up from a deep sleep," states David Marek, the chief economist at Deloitte, who will personally present this outlook at the forum.

The morning session of the program will be dedicated to investment strategy and legislation. The importance of the discussed issues will also be confirmed by the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Bohuslav Sobotka, who will open this event for the third time. The following personalities have already confirmed their participation in the panel discussion moderated by Martin Veselovský:

• Richard Brabec, Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic
• Evžen Korec, CEO, Ekospol
• Václav Matyáš, President, SPS Czech Republic
• Jan Mládek, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
• Karla Šlechtová, Minister for Regional Development of the Czech Republic
• Dan Ťok, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic
• František Vaculík, CEO, PSJ and Personality of Czech Construction 2014

Legislative changes such as the planned amendment to the Building Act are very current topics that resonate within the professional community. Representatives of both the Government of the Czech Republic and representatives of construction companies will be included in the discussion. "I welcome legislative changes that could help our sector. Unfortunately, I still feel that construction is not at the center of interest of our political establishment. The lack of consistency in the state's investment policy and the resulting unpreparedness, especially of infrastructure projects, is a recurring fact. Another adverse reality in this area is the delayed response to EU legislative requirements linked to funding from European funds. An example is the assessment of environmental impacts (EIA), where the current situation will lead to the suspension of the implementation of several long-prepared projects," says František Vaculík, the CEO of PSJ, regarding the issue. He also expresses doubts regarding the amendment to the Public Procurement Act. "The currently prepared amendment to the Public Procurement Act is not fundamentally groundbreaking from the contractors' perspective in ensuring a higher degree of transparency and sophistication in the competitive environment, the elimination of price excesses, or obstructive actions. It partially simplifies processes in favor of the conduct of contracting authorities; perhaps it will loosen certain rigidity related to the fear of personal responsibility for decisions."

Evžen Korec, CEO of Ekospol, also has a skeptical view of the current state of construction legislation: "If construction legislation in the Czech Republic does not change completely in the near future, construction projects will stop being realized and there will be a collapse of the entire sector. The three-stage construction approval process (EIA, zoning decision, and building permit) leads to disproportionate delays in construction. The average time for issuing a building permit in the Czech Republic is comparable to Iraq according to World Bank data, and the Czech Republic ranks 127th out of 189 compared countries. The only possible solution is to merge all three processes into one and unequivocally set maximum deadlines that authorities will be forced to respect."

The Forum of Czech Construction is a prestigious and now traditional professional meeting that provides space for discussion across the construction sector. The third year of the electoral term is an ideal time for constructive changes. The forum thus gives participants the opportunity to actively influence the impact of these key discussions with their questions and opinions.

Facts about the Forum of Czech Construction 2016:

• The 12th edition takes place on March 1, 2016, at the Clarion Congress Hotel Prague

• Previous editions involved several hundred domestic and foreign speakers and over 3,000 delegates; this year's edition expects up to 300 significant participants

• The organizers of the forum are Blue Events and the Association of Entrepreneurs in Construction in the Czech Republic

• More information at www.construction21.cz