The state's competencies in construction will shift from the Ministry of Industry and Trade to the Ministry of Regional Development

Prague - The state's competencies in construction are likely to shift from the Ministry of Industry and Trade to the Ministry for Regional Development. This preliminary agreement was reached by Minister of Industry Martin Kocourek and Minister for Regional Development Kamil Jankovský. The head of MMR stated this today at a conference for construction company directors organized by CEEC Research.
    "With the change in the competence law, construction would fall under one roof," Jankovský said. He expects a more efficient state operation in construction as a result of the transfer of competencies. The timeline for the change has not yet been specified. The Union of Entrepreneurs in Construction has also been pursuing the transfer of competencies to a single ministry since 2008.
    Currently, areas under MMR include the building law, public contracts, coordination of obtaining EU grants, and management of the State Fund for Housing Development.
    At today's conference, Jankovský also elaborated further on the previously presented plan for a so-called major amendment to the building law. The draft is expected to be completed in 2011.
    In the amendment, the minister wants to reduce the number of building authorities. According to him, the reason is to improve the qualified decision-making of officials regarding constructions. "We cannot fool ourselves that in building authorities where decisions are made on two or three family houses every two months, then suddenly a large construction appears, that the decision-making there is completely competent," Jankovský remarked.
    The amendment will also specify the conditions for the operation of authorized inspectors. Their certificates allow for certain constructions. However, the current law does not contain remedies against their decisions. Another change will relate to the permitting of large constructions, for example in transportation. According to Jankovský, this should be a matter for only one office and not a series of special permits.