european-semester-documents-czechia

European Spring Package 2026

The European Semester is an annual exercise that coordinates the EU's economic and social policies. Based on the analysis conducted every year by the Commission, each Member State receives a set of Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs), where policy action is needed. In Czechia, these include:

Energy costs hold back Czechia’s competitiveness, with one of EU’s highest electricity prices yet second-lowest renewables share. Investments in clean energy and stronger grids would cut bills, emissions and energy dependence.
Housing remains unaffordable. Third-fastest price growth in the EU makes moving for jobs and schools hard. Simpler spatial planning and construction permitting, more publicly funded housing construction, and better tax design could improve matters.
The public administration lacks capacity to deliver. Czechia has the smallest municipalities in the EU, legal barriers hamper their cooperation, and tax allocation rules do not promote economic development. At the central level, ministries struggle to hire qualified staff, and money is not spent efficiently. Easier municipal cooperation, redesign of tax assignment rules, better hiring and budgetary performance review would help.
Income taxation (including social and health contributions) discourages work, especially for parents, and increases working poverty. In contrast, self-employed high earners pay much less than regular employees doing the same kind of job. Fairer tax design would boost employment.
Czechia records the EU’s fourth-lowest university graduation rate and a low number of graduates in science and related fields, especially women. There are not enough general secondary schools, and educational outcomes strongly depend on parents’ wealth. More schools, stronger financial support, attracting STEM teachers, and supporting disadvantaged pupils, including Roma, would help.

European Semester Spring Package 2026 - Two-page summary

Country report

Published as part of the Spring Package, country reports provide a detailed analysis of each Member State’s economic and social developments and challenges and assess the extent these are addressed by national policies. Additionally, the reports review the implementation of country-specific recommendations from previous Semester cycles.

2026 Country Report - Czechia

Country-specific recommendations

Published as part of the Spring Package, the Country-specific recommendations (CSRs) provide tailored guidance to each Member State, suggesting socio-economic and fiscal policy actions to be taken over the next year. The Commission develops the CSRs based on the country reports and its review of the national policy plans submitted by Member States. The draft recommendations are then further discussed by the Council which reaches consensus on a final version over the summer.

The recommendations focus on policy areas that face persistent challenges or are only partially addressed by national policy plans. CSR can cover a wide range of topics, including public finances, pension system reforms, education, innovation challenges, job creation or addressing unemployment.

2026 European Semester:
Country Specific Recommendations / Commission Recommendations

Draft budgetary plan

By mid-October, eurozone Member States are required to submit their draft budgets for the following year to the Commission and the Eurogroup. The Commission assesses their compliance with the CSRs, the agreed net expenditure path and the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact.

Draft budgets that do not align with past CSRs are addressed in the Opinions on the Draft budgetary Plans, published as part of the Autumn Package. Member States adopt their new national budgets at the end of the year.

Draft budgetary plans 2026

National reform programme (until 2023)

After receiving guidance from the Autumn Package, Member States submit their national policy plans for assessment ahead of the Spring Package. The national reform programme outlines the structural economic reforms that the Member State intends to implement, with a focus on future policies to strengthen employment and growth and prevent or correct macroeconomic imbalances. The programme should also indicate how the planned policies comply with the country-specific recommendations of previous European Semester cycles.

As of 2024, the national reform programmes will be replaced by the medium-term fiscal structural plans.

General publications (26 April 2023):
Czechia - National Reform Programme 2023