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Country fiches: Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, general provisions of criminal procedure apply to the investigation and prosecution of intellectual property crimes. These crimes fall under the general rules of jurisdiction.

Verified in December 2023

National legislation

National legislation on intellectual property crimes

Copyright violations

Sections 270 and 271 of the Criminal Code
Act No. 121/2000 on Copyright and Rights Related to Copyright
Act No. 121/2000 on Copyright and Rights Related to Copyright: mkcr.cz/doc/cms_library/12-az_2006_v_aj-2005.pdf

Counterfeiting of trademark

Patent violations

Section 269 of the Criminal Code
Act No. 527/1990 on Inventions

Industrial design violations

Section 269 of the Criminal Code
Act No. 207/2000 on the Protection of Industrial Designs
Act No. 207/2000 on the Protection of Industrial Designs:
207/2000 Sb. Zákon o ochraně průmyslových vzorů (zakonyprolidi.cz)

Violations of geographical indications of origin

Section 268 of the Criminal Code
Act No. 452/2001 on the Protection of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications
Act No. 452/2001 on the Protection of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications:
452/2001 Sb. Zákon o ochraně označení původu a zeměpisných označení (zakonyprolidi.cz)

Violations of plant variety rights

Violations of plant variety rights do not constitute a criminal offence under Czech national law. These violations are dealt with by Civil Law.

Trade Secrets violations

Section 248 of the Criminal Code
Act No. 221/2006 on Enforcement of Industrial Property Rights

National contacts

National contacts

Law Enforcement Agencies

IP crime investigations are conducted by the Department of Economic Crime of the Office of the Criminal Police and Investigation Service, which is a part of the Czech National Police. There is no specialised unit to investigate IP crimes.

Department of Economic Crime of the Office of the Criminal Police and Investigation Service

+420 974 813 800

Schr. 62/KPV, 170 89
Praha 7, Strojnická 27

Odbor hospodářské kriminality - Policie České republiky

Prosecution

The Prosecutor General’s Offices are responsible for the prosecution of IP crimes.
There is no specialised unit to prosecute IP crimes.

Judiciary

There are no specialised courts on IP crime in the Czech Republic. This type of crime falls under the general court system. The general courts are organised in a four-tier system:

  • District Courts;
  • Regional Courts;
  • High Courts;
  • The Supreme Court.

Czech Courts

Contact details based on the region: access here 

Aktuality - Portál justice 

Judicial libraries

Judicial libraries

NALUS

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Databáze rozhodnutí NALUS

All judgments (since January 2007) from:

  • Constitutional Court

NEJVYŠŠÍ SOUD (SUPREME COURT)

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Nejvyšší soud

Selected judgments from:

  • Supreme Court (3rd instance)

Other available resources:

  • opinions of the Supreme Court

NEJVYŠŠÍ SPRÁVNÍ SOUD (SUPREME ADMINISTRATIVE COURT)

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Nejvyšší správní soud

Selected judgments from:

  • Supreme Administrative Court (2nd instance)

Other available resources:

  • preliminary questions submitted by the Supreme Administrative Court and other national courts to the Court of Justice of the European Union
  • information on proceedings submitted to the Constitutional Court,
  • press releases.
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