This year marks 15 years since the Czech Republic joined the European Space Agency (ESA). Agencies focusing on cooperation between members on space missions, launch vehicles, research and many other areas in which Czech businesses, research institutes and academic entities also participate. Czech companies and academic institutions have been or are still involved in more than 600 technologically challenging projects in ESA; more than 60 Czech companies are directly involved in ESA projects and dozens more have an important role in supply chains. More than 20 Czech academic institutions and centres doing space research cooperate with ESA.
This year's main construction season is slowly coming to an end, with a total of 70.2 kilometres of roads and motorways to be put into operation in 2023. A record 147.1 kilometres of roads will be opened in 2024. In 2023 and 2024, construction of a total of 236.4 kilometres will start.
According to the rapporteur of the proposal, Czech MEP Alexander Vondra in the ENVI Committee, the plenary session of the European Parliament adopted a position on the EURO 7 standard proposal in a more acceptable form. Next, trialogues and negotiations between the positions of the Council and the EP will be launched that shall lead to the final wording of the Regulation. A total of 329 out of 600 voters were in favour.
The Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic and Czech Railways signed a ten-year contract for the provision of public passenger transport services by public rail transport on the Ex 32 line Prague – Pardubice – Lichkov state border (– Poland) for the period of the 2025-2034 timetable. This agreement represents a significant step towards strengthening interstate connections and will enable the Czech capital Prague and East Bohemia to connect with the Polish cities of Wrocław, Poznan, Bydgoszcz, Gdansk and Gdynia.
Almost 600 driving school teachers, examiners and representatives of the professional public attended the Future of Drivers' Education conference in Prague today. The professional public learnt new rules that will be in force from 1 January 2024 at this biggest event dedicated to driver education since 1989. These rules involve options for beginning drivers such as trial driving licence or the mentor-led driving scheme from the age of 17 (L17). Minister Martin Kupka also presented awards to important personalities for their long-standing contribution to Czech driver education.
The Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg adopted the Council's general approach to the regulation on new CO2 emission limits for trucks and buses on 16 October. The Czech Republic has contributed to a significant mitigation of the impact of this forthcoming regulation. The most significant change is the exemption of all long-distance and suburban buses from the requirements for full zero-emission operation and the delay of the commitment to full zero-emission urban buses by five years to 2035. The proposal, approved, also foresees a review of the objectives and the whole regulation in 2027.