The Czech Presidency of the EU Council will focus on negotiations with the European Parliament on the regulation establishing an EU programme for secure connectivity, according to its work programme and statements by its Transport Minister on Friday 8 July.
“The main priority of the Czech presidency will be the proposal of the Secure Connectivity Regulation where we want to continue the efforts of the French Presidency”, said Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka at a press briefing in Prague on Friday 8 July, confirming our information obtained in June (see EUROPE 12972/17). One source said that the Czech Republic would seek to reach an agreement in these inter-institutional negotiations with the European Parliament.
The EU Council did adopt its negotiating mandate at Committee of Permanent Representatives I (Coreper I) level at the end of June, in the last days of the French Presidency of the EU Council (see EUROPE 12982/10). However, it will have to wait for the European Parliament, which is expected to adopt its position in early October, according to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) provisional timetable.
In addition, the Czech Presidency intends to address the issue of the use of data from satellite systems and space cooperation during these six months. “In our view, it’s important to not only show the best practices but also think about concrete actions and activities”, the minister added. However, the Presidency reportedly indicated to the national delegations in the working group that no conclusion would be reached, we were told.
Space issues are of some importance to the Czech Republic, not least because of the presence of the EU Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) in Prague. A Competitiveness Council dedicated to Space will be held on 2 December. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens and Camille-Cerise Gessant)