The city of Prague is taking action against unwanted outdoor advertising. A new agreement with the company Czech Outdoor paves the way for the removal of numerous billboards from city property. Around 70 of these installations are set to disappear by 2026.
On Monday, Prague City Council approved an agreement with the outdoor advertising company Czech Outdoor, which will see around 70 billboards removed from city properties by mid-next year. The clearance of urban areas, particularly along important transport routes, is to be completed by the end of June 2026 at the latest.
“The agreement is advantageous for both parties. It brings an end to six ongoing court cases at various stages of the proceedings, which experience has shown would drag on for many years and cost the city millions. The company has undertaken to remove the billboards by 30 June 2026 at the latest. Until then, it will continue to pay rent,” says Adam Zábranský, Prague City Councillor for Property Affairs, Transparency, and Legislation.
The city had cancelled the contract from 1992 in 2021. Czech Outdoor is actively defending itself in the individual proceedings and is questioning the validity of the cancellation, arguing that the contract runs until 2027. According to the rental agreement, there were a total of 74 advertising spaces on city land as of 31 December 2023.
“Billboards along streets are a relic of times gone by that nobody will miss. We are continuing the course we have taken and are no longer renewing leases for the installation of billboards on municipal land,” Zábranský concludes.
