The results of transport research, which cost almost two billion crowns from the state budget, are sometimes not reflected in practice
PRESS RELEASE ON AUDIT NO 24/30 – 12 January 2026
Almost CZK 2 billion was allocated in the state budget for the TRANSPORT 2020+ programme, which aims to support applied research, experimental development, and innovation in transport. The results are then to be put into practice, which should, among other things, increase the Czech Republic's competitiveness in this area. From January 2020 to the end of April 2025, beneficiaries of financial support from this programme used up CZK 1.7 billion. During its audit, the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) found that although the beneficiaries of support for the audited projects achieved the planned results, in some cases these did not lead to practical application. The audit also showed that the Research, Development and Innovation Information System does not provide accurate and reliable information and that the Ministry of Transport (MoT) will not be able to evaluate the success of the TRANSPORT 2020+ programme. In half of the 10 projects audited, the SAO found problems that reduced the effectiveness and, in almost a third of cases, the economy of the funds spent.
The MoT, in its role as external application guarantor, did not contribute to the implementation of the results in practice, even though this should be the task of the application guarantor. However, the guarantor is not responsible for the practical application of the results. This responsibility lies with the recipient of the support. The consequence of these conditions is the risk of reducing the effectiveness of the funds provided, which was confirmed in two of the three projects audited.
The SAO's findings can be documented, for example, in the Central Digital Register of Traffic Closures (C-ZONE) project. The recipient drew support amounting to almost CZK 16 million and submitted three computer programmes, a methodology, and one functional sample within the set deadline. The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR) stated in the final review procedure that the project had been successful with excellent results. Although the MoT, as the application guarantor, was involved in the project from the outset, it ultimately did not initiate the process of putting the results into practice. Instead, at the time of the SAO's audit, it commissioned the preparation of another information system for processing digital records of traffic closures (IS CREDO).
During its audit, the SAO also found that the Research, Development and Innovation Information System does not provide accurate and reliable information. However, this IS is considered to be the only authorised, complete, and binding source of information on publicly funded research, development, and innovation. Although TA CR is responsible for the accuracy and timeliness of the data submitted to the IS, it did not consistently verify the accuracy of the data submitted and published. The SAO found that in eight out of ten cases, incorrect data on the amount of support, final review procedures, and project results were published in the IS.
The audit also showed that TA CR did not set rules for assessing the reasonableness and adequacy of project personnel costs. The agency left it up to the beneficiaries to determine the amount of personnel costs. Personnel costs accounted for 73% to 85% of the total project costs in the audited projects. In addition, average personnel costs in the private sector were twice as high as in universities. While the average annual personnel costs per full-time position at universities ranged from CZK 520,000 to CZK 965,000, in the private sector they ranged from CZK 1 million to CZK 1.82 million.
The MoT has not set appropriate criteria for an objective assessment of the objectives. SAO auditors found that the MoT will assess the success of projects at a time when it will not really know their actual benefits, and therefore, after the end of the TRANSPORT 2020+ programme at the end of 2026, the MoT will not be able to evaluate the success of this programme.
Communication Department
Supreme Audit Office