We organized a roundtable on the future of low-emission zones

What are the options for future access regulation to the city center and air quality in the metropolis? On 10 December 2025, as part of the CEAML project, AutoMat organized a roundtable on the topic of low-emission zones (LEZs) in Prague. The aim was to summarize the current legislative status and discuss conditions for the potential implementation of LEZs in Prague.

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Finance, the City of Prague, and the Centre for Transport and Energy (CDE). The main topic was the tightening of EU air quality emission limits, which will come into effect in 2030.

In connection with the upcoming deadline, it will be necessary to start monitoring air quality according to the new limits from January 2026. If these limits are exceeded — which is expected for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter in Prague — the city will be obliged to adopt remedial measures, which should start being implemented by the end of 2028. Other points discussed included:

Entry fee: For the first time, legislation allows a fee to be charged for entry into an LEZ. The fee can apply to any selected area of the municipality (e.g., divided into multiple zones). Residents can be offered discounted long-term permits, e.g., annual passes, which are cheaper than shorter-term permits.

Use of revenue: Income from the entry fee must be linked to projects that demonstrably improve air quality, including funding compensatory measures or the development of sustainable mobility.

Data infrastructure: Effective monitoring of trips and driver behavior is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of a zone. Legislation introduces the LEZ Information System, which manages the registry of vehicle emission categories and exemptions.

Exemption system: The law sets fixed, broad exemptions (e.g., emergency services, municipal services, etc.) but also allows individual exemptions. These can be granted by the municipality for health reasons, business, specific working hours, or cultural events. Municipalities decide independently which individual exemptions to allow — all, some, or none.

Public communication: Participants agreed that the most important factor will be explaining the benefits of LEZs to the public and debunking myths.

Monitoring in the coming years and preparation for gradual implementation of measures will also be crucial.
The implementation of functional low-emission zones is a complex process requiring close cooperation between the state and the city. AutoMat will continue to monitor this issue.

This text was produced as part of the Central European Active Mobility Lab (CEAML) project, supported by the European Climate Foundation.

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