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Czech ministers have fallen out over hiked charges on coal mining companies. The charges would just target brown coal, or lignite, companies, which appear to be holding up a lot better than their hard, or black coal, counterparts.

Anyone making use of the country’s major highways and roads this summer will have likely noticed – and possibly suffered long delays because of – ongoing and extensive renovation projects. The D1 highway, among the most in need of repair and reconstruction, including lanes and spanning bridges, was the most notable case in point. It should not come as a surprise that the overhaul of that and other routes has led to a rise in expenses: one-quarter according to the Road and Motorway Directorate of the Czech Republic.

A third of ski hills in the Czech Republic will modestly boost prices this winter season, news website iDnes reported on Tuesday, citing the Association of Czech Ski Resorts (AHS). The price will go up on average by 11 crowns for a children’s daily ski pass, the highest increase. Ski hills have invested hundreds of millions of crowns in snow making equipment as well as to broaden existing runs. Above all, operators will be hoping for decent conditions and not a mild winter like the season last.

The Czech power company ČEZ has said it will temporarily halt operations at its coal burning plant in Bulgaria as of the beginning of next year after it emerged that a planned investment to bring the plant up to EU environmental rules would not be economically justifiable given the cost of electricity.

The European Commission has allowed winemakers in the Czech Republic and other EU countries to use sugar to increase the alcohol content in their wine. The decision comes after winemakers complained that due to poor weather conditions this season, the natural content of sugar in grapes would be too low.

The west Bohemian spa town of Karlovy Vary is looking to save money on heating bills by using the town’s own natural resources – its hot thermal springs. The idea is for the town to gradually introduce this form of heating in all its public buildings.

The Czech machinery firm PBS has landed a contract to develop a micro turbine for a new Chinese jetliner. The deal with the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group was sealed during the visit of Czech President Miloš Zeman to China.

Foreign companies interested in building or leasing warehouses, logistic parks, and production and assembly halls in the Czech Republic are discouraged by excessive bureaucracy, suggests a new study carried out by CEEC Research and KPMG Czech Republic.

The Senate on Wednesday approved a draft bill which would introduce a third Value Added Tax rate. The 10-percent rate should apply to books, medicine and baby food as of January 2015.

The lower house of Parliament has approved legislation that allows the exchange of information about banking accounts with other countries. The bill is a prerequisite for the implementation of the FATCA agreement with the United States which will require Czech financial institutions to inform US authorities about account owned by US citizens.