Czech Republic wins clearance for key transport projects to go ahead

The Czech Republic has won clearance from the European Commission to proceed with 10 large transport and infrastructure projects without the need to launch new Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs). Brussels has had problems with the fact that dozens of Czech projects were given approval under old assessments that in some cases pre-date the country’s accession to the European Union in 2004. The news was given by prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka, currently in Brussels for a European Summit. Some of the key projects have a European as well as Czech dimension.