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The Czech government has sidelined European rules that would offer Czech railway passengers the right to compensation for delays. The decision marks a victory for the biggest rail operator, Czech Railways, which faces heavy claims based on the current state of its services. But consumers’ groups are not so happy.

A group of Eurosceptic senators who are vehemently opposed to the Lisbon treaty have found a new way of attacking it in court. They are preparing to question the validity of a recently adopted law that is to prevent the transfer of national powers to the EU without Parliament's consent on the grounds that it was not approved by a constitutional majority. The law was approved by both houses of Parliament and was decisive in winning support for the Lisbon treaty. Legal experts have made it clear that the senators would have little success in attacking the treaty itself. The Lisbon treaty still has to be signed by President Klaus who has said he will delay the process for as long as possible.

The Czech Republic is one of the few countries in the EU not to have ratified the Lisbon treaty. Though both houses of parliament have approved ratification, the president is currently refusing to put his signature to it. Meanwhile, a group of Eurosceptic senators are also employing delaying tactics: they are going to send a freshly announced petition to the Czech Constitutional Court, ahead of a challenge to the document itself.

The Czech government has approved a European Union directive governing product placement in films and television serials. Under the regulations, it would have to be made clear in film or serial credits that particular products were being promoted, though such product placement would not be allowed in programmes for children. The Czech lower house is expected to vote on the matter in the next couple of months.

The Czech Republic is high on a list of EU states affected by invasive species, i.e. plants and animals not native to the continent which are upsetting the natural eco-balance. According to a survey commissioned by the French daily Le Soir, the Czech Republic is the fourth worst affected country in the 27 member block, after Britain, Belgium and France. The economic losses caused by invasive species across the EU are said to amount to 12 billion euros a year. There are currently estimated to be some 2,000 invasive species in the Czech Republic.

When it comes to equal pay, the Czech Republic is floundering far below average, suggests research conducted by the University of Cambridge. A report into employment and pay in 10 European countries found that while Czech women worked in more or less the same jobs as Czech men, they were very far from enjoying the same wages. A little earlier, I spoke to the report’s author Dr Robert Blackburn to ask him about this new research:

The adoption of up to 30 bills that should bring Czech legislation in line with EU directives will be delayed due to the early general elections scheduled for October 9-10, the CTK news agency reports. All bills that the current parliament will fail to pass by then, will fall through and will have to be submitted again to the new government and the new Chamber of Deputies. As a result, the adoption of these bills could be delayed by up to half a year. One of the bills the Czech Republic is to pass on the basis of an EU agreement, is the proposed reduction of VAT from 19 to 9 percent for certain services such as hairdressers, shoe repairers and restaurants. The lower house has approved the bill in the first reading, with two more still to come.

Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer on Tuesday welcomed expressions of EU solidarity over Canada’s re-imposition of visas on Czechs. But Mr Fischer underlined that what Prague is really seeking is EU action that would force Canada to return to a visa-free regime. The prime minister was speaking after a meeting with President Václav Klaus. EU foreign ministers on Monday voiced their solidarity with the Czech Republic over the re-imposition of visas on July 14 but did not discuss retaliatory steps. The European Commission should first of all come up with its stand by September. Canadian authorities said on Tuesday they had given out 1,360 visas so far with less than 1.0 percent of applications refused.

The European Union will not make a decision on whether to re-impose visas for Canadians until the autumn, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said in Brussels on Monday. The Czech Republic has asked the EU to consider introducing visas for Canadians in retaliation to Ottawa’s decision to re-introduce visas for Czechs. According to Mr Kohout on Monday, however, the EU’s response first has to be considered by the European Commission and nothing will be decided upon before September. Following two years of visa-free travel, Canada reintroduced visas for Czechs on July 14 after thousands of Czech Roma applied for asylum.

In related news, EU representatives will discuss the issue of Canadian visas on Monday, with an EC source telling journalists that the commission expected EU countries would voice “strong solidarity” with the Czech Republic, the Czech news agency ČTK reported. Both Foreign Minister Jan Kohout and EU Affairs Minister Štefan Fuele will represent the Czech Republic at that meeting. The Czechs want to ask the European Commission and EU member states for support to persuade Canada to lift visa requirements. Canada reintroduced visas for Czechs after almost two years of visa-free relations. The Czech Republic responded to Canada’s decision by introducing visa requirements for Canadian diplomats.