MMR will allocate 252 million CZK for the modernization of IT for the digitization of building regulations

Prague - The Ministry for Regional Development (MMR) will allocate 252 million crowns for construction offices to modernize information technology for the digitalization of building regulations. MMR informed about this in a press release. The purchased IT equipment will be standardized for all municipalities. In the case of one set, it will include a powerful laptop, a keyboard, a mouse, a docking station, and two 32-inch monitors. The funds will be available to offices based on data from a survey.

"Digitalization of building regulations is one of the priorities for the Ministry for Regional Development. It is necessary for all municipalities to have the same conditions in this regard. We do not want inadequate technology to hinder the work of building offices. Therefore, we inquired the municipalities about the number of officials and IT equipment, so we can address any deficiencies in a timely manner and help them reduce administrative and financial costs,” said the Deputy Prime Minister for Digitalization and Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates).

A total of 208 million crowns will be directed from the National Recovery Plan, that is, from European funds, and over 43 million crowns from the state budget for support. According to MMR, subsidies from the program establishing new technology should lead to faster processing and digitalization of building regulations and the implementation of the new building and land law into practice. Applicants will have to procure the technology through a central public procurement, which will be awarded by the Ministry of Finance in cooperation with MMR.

The call is intended for municipal offices of municipalities with extended competence, entrusted municipal offices of municipalities, municipal offices exercising the competence of building authorities, and magistrates or municipal district offices with a building authority. Furthermore, it also includes, for example, the ministries of defense, interior, and justice. The application submission deadline will end on February 29, and the support must be utilized no later than September 30 of this year.

The aim of the digitalization of building regulations, according to MMR, is the possibility to submit and sign applications for building permits via forms directly in the ministry's information system. In addition to speeding up the process, digitalization should also contribute to transparency and the introduction of anti-corruption measures in building regulations.

Digitalization is part of the amendment to the building law, which is set to come into effect on July 1 this year. The validity of the law has already been postponed twice, and it was originally supposed to be functional in the summer of last year. The reason was that the Office for the Protection of Competition canceled the contract for its establishment multiple times due to a lack of transparency in the procurement process. As of November 3, MMR closed a new tender with the same company InQool for digitalization. They are expected to deliver key information systems for the digitalization of building regulations for 37 million crowns. The department has also prepared training for the new building law and working style. It started in December and will continue gradually throughout the first third of this year in all regions.