The Association of Municipalities requests the correction of fundamental errors in the building permit system by August 20

Prague – The Union of Towns and Municipalities (SMO) wants the Ministry for Regional Development (MMR) to correct some fundamental shortcomings in the building permit digitalization systems by August 20. At that time, representatives of the union are set to meet with the Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) along with the Association of Secretaries of Municipal and Town Offices. After an online meeting with MMR representatives, SMO chairman František Lukl told ČTK today. Bartoš told ČTK that MMR wants to find a common path and deliver the most important functionalities from the officials' perspective. Among these, the union counts automated filling of forms and identification of participants and parcels.

According to Lukl, the new system should at least meet the parameters of the original system, and the proposed modifications are considered by the union as the minimum standard that SMO insists on. If the system works effectively, it will lead to a faster building permit process, according to Lukl. However, adjustments are necessary, which MMR has published in its schedule. Earlier, the ministry promised that in the first half of August it would add features such as bulk entry of data on persons and parcels to the system.

"I sent the chairman (Lukl) a list of modifications that have occurred since the launch of the system, whether they were partial repairs or newly implemented functionalities. I also sent a plan for further development that users of the system, namely employees of building offices or concerned authorities, perceive as the most essential," Bartoš said now. "These are mainly automatic processes, loading participants in proceedings so that data does not have to be entered manually, or templates that generate decisions from the data that the system already has," he added.

SMO previously stated that difficulties in launching the digital building permit process could result in a backlog of 13,000 building permits worth 100 billion koruna, if the system is not functional by the beginning of September. However, according to Lukl, MMR believes that the delay will not be significant, and thus the losses will not be so large - rather in the units of billions of koruna.

If the implementation of digitalization were postponed to January 1, 2025, the risks and economic damage, according to Lukl, might not occur at all. "From our side, this is an appeal not to resign on the fact that any building permit that is not issued is a complication not only for the builder but also for the economy of the Czech Republic. At this moment, it does not matter whether it is in terms of billions or hundreds of millions; it is a principle we should not succumb to," added Lukl.

Since the systems were launched at the beginning of July, municipal offices, some builders, and professional associations and chambers have complained about problems with the electronic building permit process. According to some estimates, the issues with the digitalization of building permits could bring billion-dollar losses. MMR is addressing the complaints and has stated that it updates the systems at regular intervals. In recent days, representatives of the ministry have met with members of the Czech Chamber of Architects, the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians in Construction, the Association of Secretaries of Municipal and Town Offices, the Platform for a Healthy Building Act, and representatives of the coalition movement STAN.