France is moving toward stricter rules on children’s use of social networks, while a similar debate is gaining attention in the Czech Republic. Lawmakers, educators and experts are increasingly discussing whether children should face age restrictions on social media and tighter limits on smartphone use in schools. The issue has grown across Europe amid concerns about excessive screen time, cyberbullying, online safety and children’s exposure to unsuitable content. France has become one of the first European countries to push forward with legislation that would prevent children under the age of 15 from creating accounts on social media platforms. The French Senate has approved the proposal, which still requires approval from the lower house of parliament before it can become law. If adopted, the measure would take effect on September 1 and require online platforms to introduce age verification systems. Companies would also have to remove accounts belonging to underage users within four months. The French proposal also includes restrictions on mobile phone use in secondary schools, reflecting a wider European discussion about the role of smartphones in children’s lives. Czech Republic considers stricter rules for smartphones in schools The Czech Republic has so far focused mainly on regulating mobile phone...
The Czech Chamber of Deputies has approved the return of electronic sales records (EET), a system that will once again require businesses to register certain payments. However, the new version will differ from the original system introduced in 2016. One of the main changes is that businesses will no longer be required to automatically print receipts for customers. Smaller self-employed entrepreneurs will also be able to use a free state-provided application to record sales through a smartphone. Finance Minister Alena Schillerová said the restored system could bring additional revenue of at least CZK 14.4 billion per year. The government argues that EET will create equal conditions for businesses and prevent companies that follow the rules from being disadvantaged. Unlike the previous version, the renewed EET system will focus only on certain types of payments. It will apply to direct transactions such as cash payments, card payments made at a physical location, and QR code payments. Online payments made through e-shops will not be included in the system. Smaller businesses will have exemptions The legislation also introduces several exemptions from mandatory sales registration. Among those excluded will be self-employed people with annual turnover of up to CZK 1 million who use...
Prague is discussing the possible purchase of Israeli-made air defense systems, including the Spyder and Arrow platforms, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s military capabilities. Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said on Tuesday that Prague is holding talks with Israeli defense companies over the acquisition of several air defense systems. He made the remarks during a press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Tel Aviv. Macinka confirmed that the Czech government is examining several options to modernize its air defense capabilities, including Israel’s Spyder system and the Arrow missile defense system. He did not provide details on the potential value of the purchases or a possible timeline for any agreement. “Regarding the Spyder, yes, we are discussing air defense systems with Israel because these systems are technologically among the most advanced,” Macinka said. The talks come as European countries increase investment in air defense systems amid growing security concerns. Israeli systems have attracted attention due to their capabilities in intercepting missiles, drones, and other aerial threats. The discussions also reflect continued defense cooperation between the Czech Republic and Israel. Prague has previously purchased Israeli military technology, including the SPYDER short-range air defense system from Israeli defense...
For many people considering a move abroad, feeling welcome can be just as important as career opportunities or quality of life. While some countries are popular tourist destinations, not all make it easy for newcomers to settle, find work, build friendships and navigate everyday life. That’s the thinking behind a new study from international insurance provider William Russell, which has ranked the world’s most welcoming countries and cities for expats in 2026. Experts crunched six factors, including real expat experiences, migrant population size, foreign-born employment rates, local attitudes towards immigrants, and safety and visa openness, to work out where newcomers can happily build a life. The world’s most welcoming country? Iceland, scoring 8.94 out of 10. The land of fire and ice has the highest foreign-born employment rate in the study, with a whopping 84.2 percent of international residents in work – meaning expats aren’t just tolerated, they’re properly woven into the economy. Luxembourg took second place (more than half its residents were born abroad, the highest share in the world), while New Zealand rounded out the podium. The rest of the top 10 is mostly a parade of wealthy nations like Australia, Switzerland and Ireland, with one glorious outlier:...
The Czech government plans to increase defense spending by 36 billion CZK next year, allowing the Czech Republic to meet its NATO commitment of spending 2% of GDP on defence for the first time. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš announced the plan before departing for the NATO summit in Ankara, where allied leaders are expected to discuss military spending, the war in Ukraine and the future direction of the alliance. The Ministry of Defense received 154.79 billion CZK in this year’s state budget, equivalent to roughly 1.8 percent of GDP. An additional 30 billion CZK is expected to support defense-related projects through other parts of the state budget, but the government has acknowledged this will still fall short of NATO’s methodology for reaching the alliance’s spending benchmark. Earlier this year, Defense Minister Jaromír Zůna said NATO estimates Czech defense spending at 1.78 percent of GDP in 2026. His ministry has proposed increasing the budget to around 190 billion CZK next year to meet the alliance’s target. Speaking before the summit, Babiš described the gathering in Ankara as one of the most important NATO meetings in recent years. He said the Czech delegation would attend as the country’s new coalition government, emphasizing...
The highest-paid jobs in the Czech Republic continue to be concentrated in top management and senior leadership roles, according to data published by Platy.cz. The figures show a clear gap between executive positions and the national average wage. At the top of the ranking is the General Director, with an average gross monthly salary of 216,592 CZK. Development Directors follow in second place with 199,417 CZK, while IT Directors take third position at 180,914 CZK. Further down the list, Country Managers and Directors earn on average 169,740 CZK per month. Heads of leasing departments report salaries around 148,256 CZK, while Economic and Financial Directors reach 147,989 CZK. Site manager earn approximately 145,989 CZK monthly. Directors of logistics follow closely with 141,989 CZK. Heads of legal departments complete the top ten, with an average salary of 139,773 CZK. Pilots also appear in the ranking, earning around 152,352 CZK per month. For context, the average gross salary in the Czech Republic reached 50,282 CZK in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Czech Statistical Office. This represents an annual increase of 8.1 percent. After inflation, real wages grew by 6.4 percent. Wages remain highest in Prague, where the average is close...
The Czech retail market welcomed 16 new international brands in the first half of 2026, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield. Fourteen of the brands opened their first Czech locations in Prague, while one launched in Ostrava and another in Pardubice. The food and beverage sector remained the strongest driver of expansion, accounting for seven new brands. One of the most high-profile openings was BOSS Café, which launched on Prague’s Na Příkopě Street next to the BOSS flagship store. The café concept currently exists in only a handful of cities worldwide, including London and Bangkok. Other newcomers included Slovak café Choco Boss, Ukrainian supermarket Best Market, Canadian confectionery Choco Choo, Italian sports nutrition retailer Volchem, German restaurant Home of Dumplings, and YO! Sushi, which opened its first Czech branch in Prague after its parent company entered the market last year with Sushi Circle. Fashion was the second most active category, with four new brands entering the market. Romanian accessories label Alisa Enco opened at the Mandarin Oriental Prague, while American fashion brand Kenneth Cole chose Westfield Chodov for its first Czech store. German menswear brand Digel debuted at Fashion Arena Prague Outlet, and Italian luxury label Ermanno Scervino...
Germany’s industrial slowdown is beginning to affect Czech factories, exposing how closely the two economies remain linked through supply chains, particularly in automotive and machinery production. According to consultancy EY, more than 120,000 jobs were cut in German industry in 2025, almost twice as many as a year earlier. The decline reflects weaker output, falling revenues and reduced confidence among German companies. EY analyst Jan Brorkhilker said German industry is facing a deep downturn, with companies adjusting production and staffing in response to weaker demand. Business associations in Germany, as reported by Reuters, expect further pressure on the labour market in 2026 as the economic slowdown continues. German manufacturers are dealing with several overlapping problems. Energy costs remain high after the European energy crisis, global demand has weakened, and companies face rising regulatory and transformation costs linked to decarbonisation and digitalisation. These factors are now feeding into hiring decisions. Surveys among German industry groups show that most companies expect further workforce reductions next year, while only a small share plan to expand. Radek Špikar from the Czech Confederation of Industry and Transport said the situation in Germany is a concern for Czech exporters. “We hope Germany will find a new...
The Czech Republic already fulfils nearly all economic conditions required to adopt the euro, according to a new Convergence Report published by the European Commission. The report suggests that the remaining obstacles are no longer economic, but political and institutional. The report evaluates EU member states outside the euro area on their readiness to join the single currency. After Bulgaria joined the eurozone this year, 21 EU countries now use the euro. Denmark remains outside due to an opt-out agreement. The assessment therefore focuses on five countries: the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Sweden. The Czech Republic stands out among them. The Commission concludes that it meets three of the four main economic convergence criteria, placing it among the most prepared countries alongside Sweden. Inflation, debt and interest rates within limits Inflation has returned below the reference threshold after several years above target. In May, the annual average fell to 1.9%, below the benchmark level of 2.7%. The Commission expects it to remain within the required range through 2027. Public finances also comply with Maastricht rules. The general government deficit stood at 2.1% of GDP in 2025, while public debt reached 44.3% of GDP. Both figures remain below the...
The latest escalation between the two political opponents has ended up in the country’s constitutional court, which is expected to take up the matter on Wednesday. Czech President Petr Pavel on Tuesday said that he had filed a lawsuit against the government, challenging Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s decision to not include him in the government delegation attending the NATO summit in Ankara in July. The competency suit, which was lodged with Czechia’s Constitutional Court, asks for clarity on who has the authority to decide whether the head of state may attend the NATO summit. The court is due to take up the matter during its plenary session on Wednesday. In a statement, Pavel argued Babiš was trying to “exclude” him from the summit, and thus “limiting the role granted to him by the Constitution.” The president pointed out that his predecessors had attended all previous NATO summits, and that he had been present at every one of the alliance’s gatherings since he took office in 2023. After months of contention over who would represent Prague in Ankara, Babiš on Monday announced the head of state could not join the official delegation because “this summit will be different from previous ones.”...
Housing and food prices in the Czech Republic are nearing Western European levels, while salaries continue to lag. New data published by Eurostat highlight a growing imbalance in the Czech economy. While average price levels remain below those in much of Western Europe, some of the most important expenses facing households have nearly caught up with richer countries. Overall, prices in the Czech Republic stand at 89.4 percent of the European Union average. That remains lower than Germany, where prices reach 108.3 percent of the EU average, and Austria at 113 percent. However, the broader figure masks substantial differences between sectors that directly affect everyday life. Housing is the clearest example. The cost of housing, energy, and related household services in the Czech Republic has reached 107.1 percent of the EU average. Germany records 113.9 percent and Austria 113.4 percent, leaving only a relatively small gap between Czech households and those in Western Europe. The contrast with neighboring countries to the east is striking. Housing-related costs amount to just 52.2 percent of the EU average in Poland and 80.4 percent in Slovakia. This means Czech residents now face housing expenses that are far closer to German levels than to those...
The Czech Republic has taken a major step toward joining Europe’s growing artificial intelligence infrastructure network after the government approved support for a bid to host a European AI Gigafactory. At its meeting on Monday, the cabinet authorized the Ministry of Industry and Trade to sign a joint procurement agreement with the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, opening the door for Czech partners to compete for one of the EU’s flagship AI projects. The planned AI Gigafactories are intended to provide Europe with powerful computing infrastructure capable of developing, training and operating advanced artificial intelligence models. The facilities would serve as large-scale AI data centers, helping reduce Europe’s dependence on technology and computing resources from outside the continent. Under the proposed model, construction of the Czech facility would be financed by private investors. The state would not directly fund the project but would commit to using part of the computing capacity if the Czech bid is selected. According to the government, this would give public institutions and domestic organizations access to advanced computing resources under favorable financial conditions. Officials argue that hosting an AI Gigafactory could bring benefits beyond technology development. The project could attract substantial private investment, create opportunities for research...
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