How Czechia is making life easier for both businesses and employees

In an effort to streamline bureaucracy, promote digitization, and generally make life easier for businesses and people in Czechia, the cabinet has recently approved a set of measures to make it easier for entrepreneurs and workers to operate. One of the proposals includes giving certain workers the right to be officially paid in a foreign currency, and the other involves the automatic option for digital receipts.

According to the new law, a recently passed proposal also includes the possibility for employees to be paid in foreign currency, a move many in the business community have praised.

Recent changes to the Czech Labor Code mean that part of the Czech workforce can be paid in euros from next year – this is especially relevant for foreigners or those who have links to a foreign country.

Those who work abroad but for a Czech company, live near the border to a different country, are cross-border workers, have family abroad, or have “demonstrable ties to a foreign country” will have the option to be paid in the common currency.

According to Ministry of Industry spokesman Marek Vošahlík, the ability to be paid in euros will help companies retain quality employees, reduce unwelcome currency-conversion, costs, and simplify accounting. This will also make the Czech labor market more flexible and attractive.

According to the new law, customers will no longer have to ask for paper receipts, as they will automatically receive digital ones. This is a welcomed change by both shoppers and sellers, with the latter expected to save significant amounts of money on paper and printing costs. Environmental benefits are clear too, according to the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade. The change is part of Czechia's long-running aspirations (the Digital Czechia project) to digitize many aspects of public life.

"The savings are really significant," stated Tomáš Prouza, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and president of the Trade and Tourism Association. "Shops spend millions of crowns on paper and printing receipts," he added.

"We need a central digital receipt format, then it's a simple modification of the cash register system," explained Pavel Vinkler, director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's business environment and internal trade department.

While the proposal is still in its early stages, it is expected to greatly benefit both entrepreneurs and the public. The Ministry of Industry and Trade also plans to create an entrepreneur portal with public administration services, further simplifying the process for businesses.

Both changes are set to come into effect around the middle of 2025.