Even in case of small-scale PV systems, there is a risk that the grid operator refuses the connection approval. It is often unclear what the true reasons are, although the operator usually argues that they are of a purely technical nature. Usually, distributors argue that there is an insufficient grid capacity in the respective location, and thus another generation plant with a non-linear production could cause a serious damage to it. Moreover, a heterogeneous approach of the distribution companies applies towards the applicants and different requirements without justification. List of common requirements, although published on the website of the distribution companies, can be anytime extended in individual cases.

Since January 2011, investors who have commissioned PV plants with an installed capacity over 30 kW in 2009 and 2010 have to pay a levy on electricity from solar radiation (so-called solar tax). Initially, this tax varied from 26% (FiT for sold power to grid operators) to 28% (so-called Green Bonus payments for electricity produced and consumed in the consumption place) of the revenues and was valid for three years (2011–2013). However, in August 2013, the Czech Parliament decided to extend the “solar tax” only for plants that were put into operation in 2010. Since 2014, the tax has been lowered to 10% of FiT or 11% in case of premium tariff (Green Bonus) for PV plants larger than 30 kW. Due to the retroactivity of this measure, the Czech Republic has been facing numerous arbitration proceedings from the side of photovoltaic investors. On 11 October 2017, the Czech Republic won an international arbitration worth CZK 500 million (approx. € 19 million) against the company JSW Solar in the case of solar tax and other restrictive measures aimed at PV projects operating in the country. On 2 May 2018, the Czech Republic won the second international arbitration against the owners of solar companies named Antaris GmbH and Dr. Michael Göde. The companies asked for a compensation worth 310 million CZK (approx. € 12 million) as the alleged violation of the Czech-German Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments and the Energy Charter Treaty. On the contrary, the court dismissed all claims and ordered the applicants to cover the costs of 42.5 million CZK (approx. € 1.6 million) for legal representation and judicial proceedings.

The core of the dispute lies on the approval of the solar tax amounting to 26% (later lowered to 10%) in the end of 2010, which has considerably reduced profits of photovoltaic investors. According to the Ministry of Finance (MF ČR), the state has been facing few other legal actions (led by the members of the International PhotoVoltaic Investors Club; IPVIC). Moreover, according to the MF ČR, possible legal actions of further foreign investors are estimated to more than 20 billion CZK (approx. € 779 million). Finally, in March 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued a decision significantly impacting the ongoing international arbitrations. According to the ECJ’s verdict, the arbitration clauses contained in the investment protection agreements between the EU Member States infringe the EU law and therefore, they should not be decided by the international tribunals. According to Robert Pavlů from the Allen & Overy law firm, this decision, which allows the state to contest such decisions before national courts and seek their annulment, improves the legal position of the state against the investors.

In 2012, a recycling fee for photovoltaic panels was approved. Recycling fee has to be paid by the PV power plant operators (for the panels installed until 31.12.2012) and by the manufacturers of PV panels (for the panels installed since 1.1.2013). The recycling fee for the PV panels, which were introduced to the market on 1 January 2013, is paid by producers, importers and retailers, and therefore, it is already included in the price of a PV panel. On the other hand, PV plant operators who installed their PV panels until the end of 2012 were obliged to enter into contract with the collective solar panel recycling systems, private companies organising waste collection and recycling on the market, by the end of June 2013. Regarding the amount of recycling fee, it should be charged at a minimum rate of CZK 8.50 per kg (€ 0.33 per kg). More specifically, the calculation formula is as follows: performance of PV installation in kWh × 0.11 × 8.50 (minimum rate per kg). The amount should be paid within five years 2014-2018 (it means during first ten years of the PV installations' lifetime).

Installation of small-scale PV systems is hampered by a number of administrative barriers. Owners of small rooftop installations with the capacity of more than 10 kW have to be registered as entrepreneurs in order to generate electricity for own consumption. Although the amendment to the Energy Act (§ 3 para. 3 of the Act No. 458/2000 Coll.) has eliminated the obligation for small-scale operators with an installed capacity of up to 10 kW (so-called micro sources) to obtain the Energy Regulatory Office’s (ERÚ) license for electricity production since January 2016 and the business licenses are not required for those who are not obliged to obtain a license from ERÚ anymore (Amendment to Act No. 586/1992 Coll. on Income Tax), these exceptions do not apply to installations with a higher performance installed, for example, on the rooftops of larger family houses. According to stakeholders, it represents a serious barrier hindering further deployment of RES for self-consumption which discourages citizens (potential prosumers) to implement their RES to cover their own energy needs. In their view, this limit should be increased to at least 30 kW or even to 100 kW.

After the peak of the Czech “solar boom” in 2010 (very advantageous investment conditions were caused by high feed-in tariffs (FiT) as well as by the substantial price decrease of photovoltaic panels from China), the public image of PV in particular (e.g. calling of some PV owners "solar barons" still prevails), but also all RES in general, has suffered severely. Due to the fact that the guaranteed FiTs at that time were rather generous, large capacities of volatile energy sources installed to a high extent on agricultural land were connected to the grid. Therefore, the distribution system operators (DSOs) allocated the major part of the costs for the support scheme to final consumers through a renewable energy surcharge, which raised their electricity bills considerably. Hence, other renewable energy technologies than photovoltaics are also now widely regarded as cost drivers and prone to corruption. This does not only affect the public image of RES, but also their political support through the authorities. Currently, mainly new wind power projects are opposed by local associations and citizens. In this context it needs to be stressed that the former government has declared renewable energy sources to be costly, inefficient and dangerous to the stability of the grid.

Support mechanism for historic photovoltaic plants, respectively RES is neither clear nor transparent. For example, the problem is with determining the moment of putting RES into operation (if it is based on the moment of an electrometer installation or on the date of “effective” license issue). It has considerable impact on eligibility criterion regarding the amount of support for the given year. In December 2016, the State Energy Inspectorate (SEI) imposed fines to 44 solar power plants in total amount of CZK 41 million (approx. € 1.6 million), usually due to controversial date of their commissioning, the suspicion of committing an administrative offense against the Act No. 526/1990 Coll. on Prices respectively. In January 2018, the Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic ("Nejvyšší správní soud") issued an important decision in the case of photovoltaic power plant Solar Černilov. The court dismissed the original decision of the municipal court in Prague ("Městský soud v Praze"), which confirmed the imposition of fine by the SEI, and remitted the case to the court of first instance. The case relates to the problem of electricity meters’ late installation by almost 160 Czech photovoltaic plants in total, which were put into operation in the end of 2010, but on which the meter was installed only in 2011.

On 12 November 2010, the Parliament of the Czech Republic adopted the Act No. 346/2010 Coll. amending the Income Tax Act. As a result of this change, since 1 January 2011, the 5-year tax holiday on income from RES production has been abolished. The core of problem is that it applies retroactively even for installations that were constructed and connected to the grid before that date. Although the legislative change had been strongly critised as a threat to the stability of rule of law by RES associations (e.g. The Alliance for Energy Self-Sufficiency; ALIES), the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic in its decision declared that this provision is in accordance with the Constitution of the Czech Republic in May 2012. Originally, the tax holiday institute applied to the calendar year in which the facility was put into operation and to the next five calendar years as well.

The Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) is now entitled to issue a special decision, which sets out the extent of illegally granted support. An unauthorised RE producer is obligated to return this amount (including penalty of 0.1% per day for a period of illegally granted support) within 30 days from the date when a decision came into force. However, material conditions for this procedure are very general. ERÚ has virtually a blank check to order the repayment of aid for breaching of any provision of the Act No. 165/2012 Coll. (RES Act). There is no distinction regarding its relevance or to any specific obligations concerning the drawing support. There is thus a relatively large space for the arbitrariness of the Energy Regulatory Office, which is strengthened by the fact that the limitation period is set to 10 years.

On January 2016, the amendment to the Act No. 261/2007 Coll. on Stabilisation of Public Budgets came into force. This amendment cancelled the exemption of "environmentally friendly electricity" (incl. RES-E) from the electricity tax. Eligible for tax exemption are just installations with the maximum capacity up to 30 kW, if electricity is consumed at the place of its delivery. The owners of RES plants with an installed capacity higher than 30 kW have a new obligation to register to pay taxes to the Customs Offices and pay the tax in the amount of CZK 28.30 (approx. € 1.1) per MWh, however, with the exception of electricity used in the so-called technological own consumption. Therefore, a producer, who is also the provider of "environmentally friendly electricity" that is delivered to the final consumer in the tax territory of the Czech Republic, has to pay the electricity tax. Due to the low tax rate on electricity it is questionable whether this measure even gives tax revenue exceeding the cost of its administration. Moreover, stakeholders believe that the administrative procedure related to the payment of electricity tax is too demanding.

On 4 September 2017, the Government of the Czech Republic approved the proposal to introduce the so-called Revision Mechanism for RES plants (incl. CHP). The control mechanism of return of investments’ level, which was also highlighted in the Policy Statement of the Government 2018, should scrutinise the adequacy of the amount of the state-granted support to renewable energy projects. According to the Resolution of the Government No. 613/2017, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) should prepare the amendment to the Act on the Promoted Energy Sources (No. 165/2012 Coll.), whose content, according to stakeholders, is also questionable. On 24 January 2018, the MPO launched controls for installations, which were put into operation in the period of 2006-2008. However, in the first stage of the Revision Mechanism, the MPO sent to 250 RES plants, whose support has exceeded € 200,000 limit in three consecutive years, requests to fill in related form by 14 February 2018. In detail, the survey scrutinises the maximum amount of internal rate of return (IRR) set by the Government to 8.4% for ‘non-fuel’ RES (incl. PV), which RES associations already described as a discriminatory measure that even raises the costs of financing PV plants in the Czech market and undermines investors‘ confidence in renewable energy. Besides the possibility of launching green arbitrations against the state, PV operators are also considering the option to uninstall their facilities and move them to other countries so that they can receive a new state support there. The Alliance for Energy Independence (AliES) and the Solar Association strongly criticised the division of renewable energy sources (RES) into two groups. The ‘fuel group’ (biomass, biogas) and ‘non-fuel group’ (small hydro, wind and photovoltaic) have a different threshold of internal rate of return (IRR; 10.6% vs. 8.4%). In total, approx. 2,500 existing RES-E installations, which were put into operation in the period of 2006-2015, will be affected. These installations should undergo the Revision Mechanism investigating their internal rate of return (IRR). The control mechanism of return on investments’ level is a control obligation to which the Czech Government was bound by the notification decisions of the European Commission (DG COMP). The subject of controls is especially the undesirable cumulation of different types of public support and evaluation of the elements factored in the support level calculations, which could lead to windfall and inadequate profits for RES producers who operate in the Czech market. In April 2019, uncertainty on the controls' implementation still prevails among the Czech RES operators. Concerning the latest developments, the representatives of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) and the State Energy Inspection (SEI) agreed on the implementation of the so-called Revision Mechanism at a trilateral meeting held at the MPO on 11 March 2019. According to the Government Legislative Council (GLC), the inspection competencies related to the Act on Promoted Energy Sources were simultaneously given to the ERÚ as well as to the SEI. Based on the recent agreement, the controls on compliance with statutory and price regulations in the field of electricity generation support were initiated.

Despite the fact that capital for RES-E projects is accessible in the Czech Republic, banks are very cautious and financing costs are due to the risk of state retroactive interventions much higher in comparison to other Member States. The reason is numerous measures that have taken place in the Czech Republic in the last years which are considered retroactive or at least partially retroactive by stakeholders (e.g. abolishment of RES tax holiday, recycling fee for PV panels, so-called solar tax introduction, non-transparent and unclear support mechanism for historic RES, revision mechanism on adequacy of the amount of the state-granted support to renewable energy projects, "system of dispatching management", etc.). In other words, unstable legislative conditions are resulting in obstacles when obtaining bank financing. The core of the problem is that the support of photovoltaics remains very expensive because of the solar boom (2 GW installed) in the past. Therefore, the government and the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) are constantly trying to reduce these costs through legislation change. The final effect is the legal uncertainty that not only lowers the interest in RES, but also increases financing costs of new projects. In addition, frequent staff changes at the managerial level of ERÚ worsen the investment climate in the Czech renewable energy sector, too.

There is no unified approach of buildings offices towards approving photovoltaic systems in the Czech Republic. Despite a methodological recommendation of the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR ČR), the land use planning and construction of buildings regulations differs considerably. Therefore, it is quite difficult to predict what the requirements are and how much time is needed to follow them.

It is currently not possible to install a system no one's own. Therefore, it is mandatory to hire an authorised technician in order to install a RES installation (in case of photovoltaics, an installation is usually carried out by a PV system supplier). This applies also to the smallest installations and no do-it-yourself installations are allowed (unless one holds a special authorisation granted by the Technical Inspection of the Czech Republic). However, since July 2015, the installation is required by the authorised person only if a subsidised facility is being installed (usually under the subsidy programme New Green Savings (“Nová zelená úsporám”) for micro sources up to 10 kW of installed capacity). Generally, there is a certification programme for RES installers, which is based on § 10d on Person Authorised to Install Selected Renewable Energy Equipment of the Act No. 406/2000 Coll. on Energy Management, which entered into force on 1 January 2015. A person authorised to perform the installation of renewable energy plants (i.e. stoves and biomass boilers, photovoltaic and photothermal systems, shallow geothermal systems and heat pumps) is an individual (natural or legal person) who holds: a) a trade license; b) a certificate of a professional qualification no older than 5 years. In order to receive such a license, all applicants have to pass a professional examination before an examining committee appointed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO), and to fulfill certain criteria (with regard to education and experience) as well.

Once a photovoltaic plant is constructed, all the required administrative agenda should be done in one step in order to enable full electricity production within a month. However, in the Czech Republic, these procedures depend on each other, which results in unreasonable time delays and slows down the projects’ realisation.

The installation of PV systems on historical buildings or in historical areas is too demanding. There are prohibitions hindering the development of installations in such areas. Taking into account the decision of the National Heritage Institute ("Národní památkový ústav"), normally, it is not possible to construct PV installations on any preserved historic buildings. According to the Building Act No. 183/2006 Coll., the binding opinions on the building notifications and the grant of building permits are given by the protected landscape areas ("CHKO") and the National Heritage Institute.

A neighbour’s consent is mandatory in order to obtain a building permit. A photovoltaic system cannot be installed even if only one of the neighbours does not give an approval. However, according to § 103 par. 1 Letter e No. 9 of the Building Act No. 183/2006 Coll., neither the building permit nor the notification to the relevant building office is required for buildings and equipment for energy production with capacity up to 20 kW (with the exception of hydropower). Therefore, the building office approval is required only for installations with capacity exceeding 20 kW. The approval is however also required if the National Heritage Institute ("Národní památkový ústav") is eligible to make decisions.

A license application submission is usually carried out by a photovoltaic system supplier. Natural persons have to pay the administration fee of 1,000 CZK (approx. € 39) in case of installations from 10 kW up to 1 MW of installed capacity. The Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) should issue a decision immediately, within 30 days at the latest, and in complicated cases, the period for the ERÚ's decision is doubled. It takes other 15 days until the decision comes into force. However, there is no penalisation, if the ERÚ issues a decision belatedly. It is a common practice that the ERÚ postpones the decisions’ deadline. This happens also in crucial cases, e.g. when the amount of the grant is the subject of decision.

A connection agreement (draft contract, also serves as a confirmation of reserved capacity) contains an annual deadline for the photovoltaic plant construction and connection. In general, a PV system construction takes approx. two or three months. However, the PV system connection depends solely on the DSO. This means that the PV installation can be connected after its construction without any delay or at the end of the year. Later it can result in not receiving a support under the current year’s conditions.

A PV system can begin to operate only after an electrometer installation. However, before that, a set of control tests are performed by the grid operator. Based on their successful results, a protocol on compliance commissioning of a generation plant is issued, and the commissioning procedure is finalised. However, there are significant differences, which depend on the level of Connection rules adherence. Sometimes it is necessary to follow the rules strictly and sometimes it is allowed to fix minor details by an operator later.

Insurance companies refuse to provide insurance on PV systems that are installed on the leased rooftops. To build a PV installation on a leased rooftop is unreasonable because economically it is not justifiable to sell the energy to the grid. In general, a local energy consumption is not possible since the PV owner is not the owner of the building electrometer.

Authorised copy of record from the Business register, authorised copy of property record from the Land register, VAT registration, extract from the Trade Register, copy of contract with the distributor as well as the extract from the Criminal Register are required (please see § 5 and § 7 of the Energy Act No. 458/2000 Coll. for more details). This represents a huge administrative burden for the investors who want to obtain a license issued by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) in order to do business (or only to operate their own RES plants for self-consumption) in energy sector in the Czech Republic. An exception applies only to small renewable energy installations (so-called micro sources) up to 10 kW of installed capacity, which are intended for self-consumption. In case of RES up to 20 kW of installed capacity, a professional qualification is not required by the ERÚ.

In 2011, the obligation of reactive power compensation ("system of dispatching management") was introduced for power plants with an installed capacity of 100 kW or more by the Act No. 211/2011 Coll. amending the Energy Act No. 458/2000 Coll. (that entered into force on 19 August 2011). This represents potential cuts of production. On the one hand, an electricity generating plant with an installed power from 100 kW to 2 MW was obliged to be equipped with a system that allows "dispatching management" by 30 June 2013 (deadline for plants with installed capacity over 2 MW was set to 30 June 2012). On the other hand, this obligation does not apply to renewable energy plants up to 10 MW of installed capacity, which were put into operation by 2000 (with exception of small hydro power plants with installed capacity up to 10 MW). The system aims to disconnect electricity plants in case of energy excess in the grid. Therefore, distribution system operators (DSOs) are allowed to disconnect some electricity plants (e.g. solar plants) in case of threats to the safe and reliable operation of the system. However, the rules for production cutting are not clear.

Spatial planning causes additional two or three-year delays in hydropower project development. If an investor wants to build a plant, it is a problem due to the inadequate spatial planning of municipalities (zoning plan) that often does not count with any areas designated for hydropower plants' construction. Moreover, a common administrative procedure (incl. EIA) is assessed to last too long (approx. 6-8 years) in case of hydro plants, and their construction lasts further two or three years in average.

Provisions and measures on the regional level are assumed to be too restrictive with regard to the further development of wind power plants and solar PV. Several regions of the Czech Republic (e.g. The Vysočina, The Ústí, or The Moravian-Silesian Region) limit the construction of plants in their territory through planning documents on the principles for regional development ("Zásady územního rozvoje"; ZÚR) even though some are simultaneously considered to have an excellent potential for wind or solar harvesting. These strategic documents lay down the general rules for the development of the territory and also set developmental intentions of overriding importance. Additionally, the Regional Energy Concepts ("Krajský energetické koncepce") are assumed to limit further RES potencial in the country, too. The draft of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) is also considered very little ambitious in this direction since it proposes only 30 MW of new wind plants per year. According to the Czech Wind Energy Association (ČSVE), its optimal pace would be at least 230 MW of new wind capacities annually.

In the process of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the possible impact of intended large-scale power plants projects is evaluated. However, in case of wind power plants, it often happens that despite the positive statements of relevant institutions, the construction of the plant fails due to the arbitrary approach of officials or their incompetence. The preparation of wind project itself lasts approx. 6-7 years in the Czech Republic, which project developers also consider unacceptably long.

Stakeholders that operate in the hydropower sector consider the communication of relevant state bodies with them as insufficient. This means, for instance, that the stakeholders have to follow the legislative process very strictly so that any legislative change is not approved without their comments on it. Although the communication has improved considerably over recent years thanks to networking activities of plants' owners, it is still regarded as a serious barrier in the Czech Republic. Additionally, the proffesional capacity and expertise of civil servants in the sector is assessed to be too low.

Stakeholders highlighted the issue of the return on investment (ROI) of small hydroelectric power plants in the Czech Republic. In many cases, the level of ROI is considered to be too slow reaching up to 15 years. The main reason is insufficient water flow due to persisting droughts in the last years. Consequently, inspections fine plant operators for incompliance with the required volume of water flow that should be followed. The low level of water flow, which is considered to be caused by hydropower plants, is also strongly critised by various stakeholders, for instance, water sport promoters. On the other hand, if an operator does want to follow aforementioned regulations, the only solution is to turn off the plant completely. Additionally, fees for river basin usage are considered to be too high threatening rentability of hydropower plants, too.

The administrators of watercourses ("Podniky povodí") hinder the issuing of authorisations for construction of hydropower plants in case that the project plan includes a diversion channel that is longer than 100 m. If a potential investor does not get favourable opinion from the state enteprises, the project cannot be realised. For example, in 2017, there were at least three hydropower plants that were not constructud due to negative opinion of the state enterprise "Povodí Moravy".

According to the Association of Entrepreneurs for the Use of Energy Sources (SPVEZ), the State Energy Policy (2015), the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (2016), as well as the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO), within the process of a new RES subsidy scheme for 2021-2030, count with a too high level of national hydroenergy potential for the construction of new hydropower plants. The aforementioned sources state that the potential reaches 110 MW; however, the SPVEZ estimates the real (available) technical amount at approx. 35-50 MW. The reason is that the remaining localities do not offer either favourable conditions for water utilisation, or require to build at least 100 m long diversion channel. In the case that a project plan includes a diversion channel longer than 100 m, the administrators of watercourses ("Podniky povodí") hinder the issuing of authorisations for construction of hydropower plants.

According to energy experts, the Czech Republic proposed only a slight increase of renewable energy sources (RES) in its Draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) by 2030. The draft, which was submitted to the European Commission on 31 January 2019, states that an increase of 7.8% compared to the 2020 national target of 13% should be achieved by 2030. The Czech Republic would therefore achieve 20.8% of total RES share in consumption in the year 2030. However, the Czech Republic already achieved its target few years ago, for example, it amounted to 14.9% in 2016 and it was also met a few years before. In the view of above, stakeholders assume that it is too low and unambitious, and high natural potential for RES harvesting is not considered in the Draft NECP. The Draft NECP is also less ambitious than the State Energy Policy approved by the Czech Government in May 2015. Additionally, it is foreseen that it will threaten further development of RES-E in the country in the upcoming decade. It is also believed that the aforementioned low target leads, for instance, to the current version of draft law on the major reform of RES Act (No. 165/2012 Coll. on Supported Energy Sources) which does not count with a direct financial support of the so-called RES community (prosumer) projects or auctions for PV plants after 2020.

Since the legislative framework related to the renewable energy sources support in the heating and cooling sector (RES-H&C) in Czech Republic has been quite unstable, in the recent years, the long-term planning in the sector has been hampered. As a result of frequent restrictive measures' adoption, banks have been experiencing financial straits, which in turn poses a substantial barrier for the cash flow of renewable energy companies. Additionally, it raises financial costs and undermines the confidence of investors in renewable energy sources.

At the EU level, there are frequent legislative changes which result in investment instability in the biofuels sector. The revision of directives and policies at the EU level takes place every two years. Therefore, investors have only limited time for implementation before a further change is introduced. Furthermore, tendentious food vs. fuel debate or unfair competition from other production sectors are aspects that confuse the general understanding of biofuels. Although further decarbonisation of transport in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE; incl. the Czech Republic) region may be effectively provided through higher utilisation of biofuels, their position is still disadvantaged compared to other RES-T technologies (batteries, hydrogen), according to stakeholders.

According to stakeholders, there is not equal approach of the ČEZ Distribuce, a.s. (DSO) to different companies, which are not owned by the ČEZ, a.s. itself. Therefore, if a company wants to build its own charging station, it is much more challenging to build one (e.g. a request to build a charging station had been rejected, and just a few weeks later the charging station of ČEZ, a.s. has been built at the same place). Additionally, the Association for Electromobility of the Czech republic (APEL) has elaborated a study where new charging stations should be established, however, the DSO has rejected its suggestions due to the lack of capacity in electricity grid.

The Association for Electromobility of the Czech Republic (APEL) highlighted the fact that if one wants to build an e-vehicle charging station, which would utilise the already existing infrastructure of public lighting equipment, it is not possible due to a Price Decision of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ). According to the Price Decision No. 8/2018, the electricity tariff C 62d can be used solely by public lightning infrastructure (in special cases for power supply of cameras of integrated rescue system of the Czech Republic) and it is not intended for the charging of electric vehicles. Vice versa, the same applies in case of tariff C (or D) 27d. As a result, just an ordinary tariff can be used what significantly increases costs of electricity (approx. 6 CZK vs. 1.7 CZK, i.e. € 0.23 vs. € 0.07 per kWh in case of electricity for households). Therefore, if one does not build his own electrical sub-statation, what is considered to be very costly, he cannot reach competitive prices. According to APEL, the setting of the electricity tariff structure in general is also problematic which discourages the aforementioned investments, and charging station development should be accelerated through the introduction of a higher payment for reserved capacity and lower fees for electricity supplied, for instance.

In the Czech Republic, the main investor in the sector of electricity charging infrastructure is the company ČEZ, a.s. Despite the fact that the company has already built numerous charging stations, it seems that the existing infrastructure is the subject of controversy. For example, it is criticised that more than a half of these charging stations are too slow (they offer only output of 43 kW AC) and the network of residential charging infrastructure is completely missing, too. Moreover, according to the Act No. 311/2006 Coll. on Fuels, since 18 November 2017, the owners of charging stations have been obliged to make the charging stations publicly accessible (i.e. without registration process). The law however has not stated that it should be provided for the same price as in the case of registered users. As a result of this, the price of 1 kWh may be threefold for unregistered users reaching up to 120 CZK (approx. € 4.7), which is regarded as the form of the so-called vendor lock-in. Finally, a construction management process may take up to two years and numerous documents are required also in the case of AC charging stations' construction.

One of the main barriers hindering further development of charging infrastructure is, according to the stakeholders, the abuse of a dominant market position by the ČEZ, a.s. The company, which is also the major operator of power plants in the country, offers unlimited charging of e-vehicles just for CZK 450 (approx. € 17.50; excl. VAT) per month which is believed to be a dumping price (below the production costs) in case that an owner charges his electric car with at least 20 kW per month. It significantly rises the barriers of market entry for other companies, which hampers further devopment of the charging infrastructure and threatens the competitive environment in the country.

Although the Government of the Czech Republic approved the National Action Plan for Clean Mobility (NAP CM) on 20 November 2015, its implementation is assessed as wholly unsatisfactory by stakeholders. Almost all proposed measures have not been implemented yet (for instance, vignette system, or usage of dedicated lines for alternative propulsion vehicles, etc.). Since 1 April 2019, the owners of electric, hybrid (up to the upper CO2 limit of 50 g per km) and hydrogen-powered vehicles may obtain on request special license plates (i.e. with a label "EL") free of charge. Nevertheless, due to the early stage of their implementation, there are currently more cons than pros, according to the Association for Electromobility of the Czech Republic (APEL). With regards to the NAP CM, it should be updated in the year 2019, according to the statement of the Minister of Industry and Trade from March 2019.