Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 27.3.2007

Bursík and activists welcome smaller number of permits; Říman considers action in court

The Minister of Environment Martin Bursík welcomed reduction of emission permits which Czech industry will keep in its disposal in so called National Allocation Plan for years 2008-2012. The European Commission refused the original application of National Allocation Plan according to which the Czech Republic asked for emission permits for 102 million tons of CO2. Martin Říman, the Minister of Industry and Trade speaks, on the contrary, about inhibiting of Czech economy and considers an action against the European Commission. “The last Czech government sentan application in Brussels for increase of volume of emission of carbon dioxide by 23,6 % in comparison with the real ones in 2005. It just tried it and it and it did not come off”, Martin Bursík, the Minister of Environment comments the European Commission's decision. EC approved for the Czech Republic a yearly volume 86,8 million tons of CO2 emissions.

Environmental management can be introduced also by municipalities and regions

A system EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) represents one of voluntary approaches by which enterprises and public organizations show its own positive contribution to the environment conservation. It is dealt with a preventive tool by means of which it is possible to achieve a harmony of management of activities of an organization with solution of its negative influences on the environment. Than a result is both the positive impact on the environment (reduction of negative influences) and increase of economic and managerial effects (saving of costs for raw materials, liquidation of wastes, payments and so on.). At present over 5000 organizational units is registered in the entire European Union in the system EMAS (in frame of c. 3,5 thousand of organizations).

Meat processors feel actions of Agrarian Chamber to reduce import of foreign foods in CR as effective way to negotiating table

Czech Meat Processor Union (ČSZM) believes that without fierce warning actions of the Agrarian Chamber ČR the negotiation on problem of still increasing import of foreign food in the CR would not start at all. Jaromír Kloud, a chairman of ČSZM reported it. In his opinion foreign trade chains operating in the CR accept decisions which forced the Agrarian Chamber to similar steps. “If a representative of trade chain declares that it will sell mainly Austrian meat, it is a very warning signal for me. If for example a trade chain in Germany decided to sell only Czech beer, I believe that Germans would not time protests out”, he added.

A common press conference of the Food Industry Chamber CR and the chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition Martin Pecina

Will unfair practice of trade chains reduced successfully?

The Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) can not solve, in its chairman Martin Pecina's opinion, some criticized practices of trade chains towards suppliers without a change of law on protection of competition. Within present stimuli it faces the problem that particular chains do not have a dominant position on the market in such a way as the law understands it now. The amendment which should regulate behaviour of chins towards suppliers has been recently put forward by ČSSD representatives to the Parliament.