Czech lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a bill ordering large shops to sell mostly Czech-produced food as of next year, in part because of concerns over objections from the European Union. The lower house of parliament originally passed the bill in January, but the Senate then rejected it and returned it with changes cancelling the controversial provisions. The original bill had said Czech food had to account for at least 55 percent of sales in shops with a surface area of more than 400 square metres (4,300 square feet). The share was to gradually grow to at least 73 percent by 2028 under the amendment proposed by the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) movement of Tokyo-born deputy parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura. The quota only applied to food that could be produced in the Czech Republic, an EU member of 10.7 million people. But the measure was controversial because EU single market rules allow for the free circulation of goods and services across the 27-member bloc. Lawmakers from all parliamentary groups except the SPD voted in favour of the decision on Tuesday. frj/dt/jj