Special report by Albin Birger, Agata Byzcewska and Helmut Brüls
A HISTORIC PRESIDENCY IN A DIFFICULT POLITICAL CONTEXT
On 1 January 2009, the Czech Republic takes over the six-monthly presidency of the Council of the EU. For its first EU presidency, this “new” central European Member State with a population of ten million that joined the EU club on 1 May 2004 has chosen the slogan “Europe without Barriers”. For this young country with a very open economy, led by an extremely liberal leaning government and president (liberal in the sense of favouring the free market), it is an opportunity to demonstrate its attachment to what it calls the four “fundamental EU freedoms,” namely the free movement of goods, capital, workers and services.
Key themes during the Czech Presidency will be the defence of citizen's freedoms, respect of sovereignty and the national specificities of the Member States (“diversity in Union”) and promoting a European Union that is open to the world. The Presidency will aim to encourage “liberal” reforms in the EU's budget and policies (including the Common Agricultural Policy), reducing Europe's energy dependency on Russia, speeding up the process of the six Western Balkans countries joining the EU and intensifying cooperation with other eastern neighbours through the new “Eastern Partnership”. With the same anti-protectionist mindset, Prague intends to take advantage of its presidency to encourage some Member States (Germany and Austria in particular) to remove the last restrictions on the free movement of workers from the EU's “new” Member States. The new presidency will therefore see a radical change in ideas after the French Presidency and its slogan “Une Europe qui protège”.
Economy, Energy and External Relations. The Czech Presidency's liberal approach is reflected in the three priorities it has set for its work, the three E's: the Economy (reinforcing European competitiveness, restoring confidence in the market, reasonable and effective management of the financial crisis and pursuing liberal reforms to the EU budget and policies), Energy (striking a “balance” between environmental protection and competitiveness, energy security and developing a common energy policy) and External Relations (reinforcing links between the EU and the other side of the Atlantic, continuing to prepare for Western Balkans countries to join the EU, and establishing an “Eastern Partnership” for the EU's other eastern neighbours). Do these three E's echo the Swedish Presidency's three E's in the first half of 2001 (Economy, Environment and Enlargement)? Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek explains on the Czech Presidency website (http://www.eu2009.cz ): “The symbolic designation of our priorities as “the 3 E's” follows up the Swedish Presidency in the first half of 2001, which faced problems similar to those that the Czech Republic is facing. At that time, it was the Nice Treaty, preparations for the introduction of the single currency, as well as the question of how a new Member State, moreover outside the euro area, would tackle its first Presidency.”
The uncertainty surrounding the Lisbon Treaty and the economic and financial crisis has certainly not facilitated the task of preparing for the Czech Presidency. Until the Irish no vote in June 2008, it was expected that the new treaty would come into force on 1 January 2009, providing the EU with a stable presidency of the European Council. The Czechs have therefore had to work on several potential scenarios simultaneously until they were certain that the Lisbon Treaty would not actually come into force at the start of 2009. The sudden onset of the financial and economic crisis, the impact of which the Czech Presidency will also have to deal with, turned the preparations on their head. Agreements at the recent European Council on the climate and energy package and the roadmap for Ireland to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, however, remove these two areas of concern from the Czechs' shoulders, even though further work remains to be done on both issues (see below).
A 'transition' presidency. After the highly eventful and yet highly effective French Presidency, everything suggests at this stage that the Czech Presidency will be a 'transition' presidency that is planning to be characterised by good management of the various ongoing issues rather than taking spectacular new initiatives. Particularly as the European institutions themselves will be in transition throughout 2009 with European Parliament elections in June and a new European Commission in November (unless the current team led by José Manuel Barroso stays in office for a few months longer to bridge the gap until the Lisbon Treaty comes into force). It is not for nothing that Prague has announced a “functional presidency” (see section below on the Presidency priorities). “The Czech Presidency will try to be highly rational and objective and do the necessary management. It will be a transition presidency,” explained an expert on Czech and European affairs to this newsletter. This idea of 'working in the shadows' is perfectly suited to the Czech mentality, noted the expert, adding: “The Czechs are not great theoreticians. They are pragmatists anxious to do a good job without the sound and fury that other presidencies seem to prefer. It is not for nothing that people say the Czechs are the most Germanic of the Slavs.” Alexandr Vondra, Deputy Czech Prime Minister with responsibility for European Affairs, also said it would be a “low profile presidency”. He told French newspaper Les Echos recently that the Czechs want to work on European consensus by continuing with the work that has already begun. The European Parliament's term of office will end in March, before the European elections in June, and this Commission will end at the end of the year so this is not the time to be revolutionary, he explained. Vondra added that the presidency had to be prudent and its profile would be a nail-file rather than a hammer.
Scepticism and concern. So will it be a run-of-the-mill presidency? Not really. EU circles have rarely awaited a presidency with such levels of scepticism or even concern. Not because a small country will be running the EU. The Czech Republic is recognised for its administrative capacities and a diplomatic machine with enough experience to run the presidency without too much difficulty. Slovenia, with a population five times lower than the Czech Republic, set the example by successfully running the EU in the first half of 2007. No concerns on this front, therefore. What is worrying to Brussels and the other European capitals is the political unpredictability and instability of the current situation in the Czech Republic.
A weak and unstable government. The coalition government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, comprising the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Christian-Democratic Union (KDU-CSL) and the Green Party (SZ), is in a state of chronic instability with a fluctuating parliamentary majority that can become a minority in the blink of an eye depending on the subject matter. More seriously, the main area of dispute is Europe, and this has serious repercussions for important issues like ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The government is split in fact between Eurosceptics (a large part of the ODS, the party of Premier Minister Mirek Topolanek) and Europhiles (the Christian-Democrats and the Greens). At the start of December this year, pro-European Topolanek managed to get re-elected as the leader of the ODS, sidelining Pavel Bem, the Eurosceptic mayor of Prague. The Prime Minister's victory dealt a blow to the Eurosceptic wing of the ODS, but will this suffice to stabilise the government, until the end of the Czech Presidency of Europe at least?
Support from the opposition is far from guaranteed. After calling on the government to resign and for a “committee of experts” to run the country during the Presidency of the Council of the EU, the main opposition party, the Social-Democratic Party (ÈSSD) led by Jiri Paroubek, seems to have decided to hold a “political truce” with the government for the six months of the Presidency. This, at least, is what Jiri Paroubek told this newsletter: “The EU Presidency is a historic opportunity for the Czech Republic. Failing to meet it would be an unpardonable error. Our party is at pains to reach a compromise with the government during this critical period,” he said in an interview with EUROPE. But the ceasefire is extremely fragile and the opposition is already calling for early elections at the end of the European Presidency, at the same time in fact as the June 2009 European elections (which suggests there will be a tough election campaign running during the Czech Presidency). “We are prepared to consider a date (for the early elections, Ed.) that would allow the government to work properly throughout the EU Presidency. Elections could then take place at the end of this period, at the time of the European elections,” Jiri Paroubek told this newsletter. The ÈSSD is making respect of the truce conditional, however, on one condition - “rapid ratification” of the Lisbon Treaty (see below).
A Eurosceptic or even anti-European President. The political uncertainty extends beyond government circles. The Eurosceptic activist and highly provocative President of the Czech Republic, Václav Klaus, who calls himself a “European dissident,” is also a major risk factor for the Czech Presidency. Although he has no real political power and no real influence over his country's foreign and European policy, he does have enormous power to cause trouble. Over the past few months, Klaus has seized every opportunity to rail against the European Union, EU institutions and the Lisbon Treaty - that he suspects of undermining Member State sovereignty to the benefit of a “European Union without democratic legitimacy”. There is no reason to believe he will hold his tongue during the six months of the presidency. Far from it. After leaving the ODS (of which he was one of the founding fathers and honorary president) early in December 2008, the unpredictable Czech President may well decide to organise a new anti-European party (perhaps joining “Libertas,” the new political movement being set up by Irish billionaire Declan Ganley) to stand in the European elections next year. The Czech Presidency of the EU will provide him with ample opportunity to get publicity for himself and his political programme.
The Lisbon Treaty. The fact that the Czech Republic is the last Member State (apart from Ireland, and Poland, but the Polish President is expected to sign the treaty) not to have ratified the Lisbon Treaty only complicates the Czech Presidency's work because it is the Czech Republic that will have to organise the important technical work that still needs to be carried out by the summer of 2009 so that Ireland can organise a new referendum on the Lisbon Treaty next autumn. The December 2008 European Council put forward a roadmap providing Ireland with legal guarantees, but the summit's conclusions document does not spell out the exact legal form the guarantees should take. Nicolas Sarkozy has told reporters that there would be an 'Irish Protocol' that would be incorporated into the Treaty and would be ratified by the EU's 28 Member States in the near future (28 because Croatia will be joining shortly). But this has not yet been confirmed. Considerable legal work is lining up for the Czech Presidency because the Irish government has pledged to hold a new referendum on condition that the legal guarantees (that have not yet been defined in detail) are 'satisfactory'. For the moment, it is planned for the Czech parliament to vote on ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in February 2009. A wide enough majority seems to be in agreement with the treaty in both houses of parliament because it is backed by much of the ODS, the Christian-Democrats, the Greens and the Social Democratic opposition. Doubt remains, however, because the ODS is reported to want to link approval of the Lisbon Treaty with a vote on the US anti-missile shield, a move rejected by the Social Democratic opposition (which favours the Lisbon Treaty but opposes the missile shield). The situation therefore remains confused - not to mention the fact that in order to come into force, the law to ratify the Lisbon Treaty would have to be signed by none other than President Klaus!
What about the Czech people in all this? Often characterised in the international media as “complaining Eurosceptics,” Czechs have a cool, aloof attitude to Europe but it would be wrong to see them as Eurosceptics. In a recent European Commission “Eurobarometer” poll published in June 2008, 64% of the Czechs polled recognised that their country had benefited from EU membership. Europe is still seen as far removed from people's lives though and the Czechs are suspicious of politicians in general and any external authority in particular. Some have called this the “heritage of history,” for as a Czech intellectual explained recently in Les Echos, the Czechs have been ruled in turn by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Nazis and Communism and the country has become sceptical of and allergic to foreign constraints, meaning that directives from Brussels always feel like instructions from Vienna or Moscow in the old days. This Euroscepticism is quite different from far right extremism, he explained, noting that it is Czech-centric but not xenophobic, and more defensive than offensive. Even in the run-up to the country taking over the Presidency of the EU, Europe remains a marginal issue for public opinion in the Czech Republic. In the government, on the other hand, adrenalin is beginning to flow, even among ministers and high-ranking officials deemed to be Eurosceptic, explained an expert in Czech domestic politics to this newsletter. “Through having to get into the subject to prepare for the Presidency, even people who were more hesitant about Europe start getting a taste for European affairs,” he said. Nicolas Sarkozy told the European Parliament on 16 December that the EU Presidency had “changed” him. Maybe the Czech Presidency will change some mindsets in Prague?
A PRESIDENCY THAT IS “PLAYFUL, INNOVATIVE AND MAYBE A LITTLE PROVOCATIVE”
Born in Prague on 17 August 1961, Alexandr Vondra has been Deputy European Minister for the Czech Republic since January 2007. A graduate of Charles University in Prague, he was advisor to President Václav Havel (from 1990 to 1992) and Deputy Foreign Minister (from 1992 to 1997), before being appointed as the Czech ambassador to Washington (until 2001). Alexandr Vondra was then active in several fields before he was elected to the Senate in 2006 and joined Mirek Topolanek's government. In this written interview with EUROPE he describes the main challenges his country will have to face over the next six months.
Agence EUROPE: Given the tense internal political climate in the Czech Republic, do you feel this is a good time for the country to hold EU Presidency?
Alexandr Vondra: There is no such thing as perfect political time for a presidency. Presidency is a service to the 27, you do not choose when to do it, and you have the responsibility to deliver. I am sure my country will do a professional job. I would not describe the political climate in the Czech Republic as tense. It is not uncommon for governments in Europe to lose midterm elections. It is a price to pay for reforms, it happened recently in Britain, too. We are currently working on an agreement with the opposition that should enable Czech ministers to concentrate fully on their job in the EU. But even if we do not come to an agreement in the end, which I would personally prefer, we will deliver. The Prime Minister has been re-elected party-leader for the next two years at the congress in the beginning of December by a comfortable majority and can continue his job with a strong mandate. I have no reason to think that we will not perform well.
A.E.: Some political leaders at the EP and elsewhere have expressed concern about the Czech Republic's ability to succeed France at the head of the EU and to continue the pace set by President Sarkozy, especially when it comes to addressing the economic crisis. What is your view?
A.V.: I read those concerns as fear of the unknown - we are just the second Member state to take over the presidency after Slovenia. It is up to us to prove those concerns unsubstantiated. Many small and medium sized countries before us had to face the same fears and have surprised us by their efficiency, like Sweden which is of the same size as the Czech Republic. Of course, our presidency will be different from the French. We are not a superpower; we will not take bigger bites than we can chew. Our style will be different: playful, innovative, maybe a little provocative - it is supposed to bring fresh ideas and to be fun for Europe. As for our capacities to deal with the financial crisis, we actually have a quite solid know-how. In 1997 we went through a banking crisis and we have extensive experience with healing our financial system. We also have very qualified experts. The Czech finance minister Miroslav Kalousek has been awarded been named the best finance minister of 2008 in post-communist Europe by the World Bank. We definitely are up to the job.
A.E.: What can the Czech Republic do to ensure the Lisbon Treaty takes effect as soon as possible?
A.V.: I belong to those who believe that speed is less important than the quality of the result. We have to do our best for the positive outcome of the ratification process in the remaining member states. We will do our duty at home. The Czech Constitutional court has removed legal obstacles for ratification and the government will do its best to tackle the political ones during the debate in the Czech Parliament in February 2008. In line with the conclusions of the European Council, the Czech presidency will also be at the full disposal of our Irish friends to provide them with legal guarantees tackling main areas of concern of their citizens: neutrality, family law, taxation - thus clearing the way for a second referendum in Ireland.
A.E.: What are the main priorities for the six months of Czech Presidency?
A.V.: The motto of the Czech presidency is Europe without barriers: Europe making full use of its economic, political, cultural and human potential. Three priorities fall under this motto that we also call the 3 E's: Economy, Energy and Europe in the world. The first E, economy, refers to the fact that we have to deal with the financial crisis and the looming economic slowdown. The Czech Presidency will be preparing the G20 summit politically among the EU27, implementing the recovery plan and, throughout that exercise, we have to insist on pursuing structural reforms and dismantling remaining barriers of four fundamental freedoms of the EU to unleash additional economic potential. The crisis has to be seen as an opportunity for reforming our economies; we must not lose that from our minds.
Second E stands for Energy. We will have to finalize some legislation already in the pipeline: ie the 3rd energy package on the internal energy market or the climate change package, so as to prepare EU for the negotiations in Copenhagen. On the other hand we would like to come up with some new ideas meant to strengthen the energy security of the EU. We would like to deepen the energy dialogue with transit and supplying countries from the Caspian region - we would like to organize a Southern Corridor summit in Brussels and discuss issues such as Nabucco.
Third E stands for Europe in the world. The Georgian crisis has proved that Europe already is a global player with responsibilities that go hand in hand with it. The priorities of the Czech Presidency in external relations will have an Eastern and a Western dimension. We would like to launch the Eastern partnership, as proposed by the European Commission, by an Eastern summit in Prague. On the other hand, we will put emphasis on the transatlantic relationship - the new administration will take office and we need to cooperate on a number of issues: regulatory convergence in the economic area, climate, Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Russia. And last but not least, we must not forget Western Balkans and the enlargement process, especially Croatia.
A.E.: On the subject of the Balkans, what exactly will you be aiming at? Can candidate country status be given to Serbia? Can membership talks begin for Macedonia?
A.V.: First of all, Western Balkans must not be forgotten for the sake of the financial crisis and economic recession, or urgent international crises, such as the one in Georgia. The accession talks with Croatia should be finished as soon as possible, ideally by the end of 2009 and we will do our best to lift the Slovenian veto against opening new chapters. As for Serbia, stabilisation of the Balkans is not feasible without this country and we will keep stressing that during our presidency. We will encourage Serbia to cooperate fully with the ICTY, since the de-freezing of the interim agreement is a precondition for granting Serbia a candidate status that we are hoping for. As for Macedonia, unless the name dispute is resolved, I fear chances for progress are grim. Czech Republic has changed name 3 times in 4 years in the beginning of the 90's and it has not marked either our identity, or our international position. I believe it is worth EU membership.
A.E.: Do you feel it is possible to wind up the negotiations on the partnership agreement with Russia?
A.V.: The relationship with Russia, shattered after the Georgian crisis, is improving. It is however difficult to predict the speed and outcome of the negotiations on the partnership agreement. It will very much depend on the will on both sides. We also must not forget that although we have resumed the negotiations on the partnership, the August commitments must continue to hold.
A.E.: What should the relationship between the EU and the United States be?
A.V.: Our relationship should be one of mutual understanding, one of equal partners with common responsibility in the global world and most of all deepened cooperation - not only between the EU and US, but especially vis-à-vis third countries. The new administration is taking office in January and it will be the task of the Czech presidency to set the agenda of the transatlantic cooperation, based on the work of the French presidency. Prague would also like to invite president Obama for his first meeting with EU countries during the Czech Presidency.
A.E.: In your opinion, can Barack Obama's electoral victory jeopardise the US project to set up a radar station in the Czech Republic?
A.V.: I do not think so. MD (Missile Defence: Ed) is a matter of national security for the US. From what I have seen during my trip to the US after the elections, there will be much more continuity than what many in Europe might expect from the new administration. In the end, let's not forget, that it was President Clinton, not Bush, who signed the law on the MD.
A.E.: Do you intend to take part in any Eurogroup meetings at eurozone head of state level if such meetings are held during your Presidency?
A.V.: Such meetings are not planned at this moment. If they are held, it will be only exceptionally, and as the Presidency we will participate in such meetings. This is in order to ensure the continuity and coherence of action in the economic and financial activities of the Union of 27. We are going to go through difficult economic times and Europe needs to stay united in fighting the crisis and maintaining maximum stability. The Presidency has a leading role in ensuring these goals.
A.E.: And when will the Czech Republic be changing to the euro?
A.V.: We intend to have a serious debate on the date of accession to the eurozone after the Czech presidency, with a decision by the end of 2009. It is very important for us in this debate that the discipline guaranteed by the Stability and Growth Pact remains one of the cornerstones of the European currency.
THE CZECH PRESIDENCY'S “THREE E'S” FOR “EUROPE WITHOUT BORDERS”
The Czech Presidency's priorities over the next six months are summed up by the slogan “Europe without Borders”. They are three in number, the “three E's”: Economy, Energy and External Relations, and are intended to signal a pragmatic, flexible presidency, firstly because as the past six months have shown, the agenda of any country leading the EU can be turned on its head by unforeseen events, and secondly because the first half of 2009 will be characterised by the European elections and a slowdown in European legislative activity. We examine below the broad outlines of areas of the Czech Presidency's programme, the details of which will be published in the first week of January at http://www.eu2009.cz and presented to the European Parliament on 14 January by the Czech Prime Minister.
Economy - a competitive Europe.
In this key domain, the Presidency will focus on boosting the common market based on the four freedoms of circulation (the circulation of goods, services, capital and individuals) and the driving force of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and employment.
Given the complexity of the procedure for the Member States, the Czech Presidency will be closely monitoring implementation of the Services Directive, the transposition deadline of which is 28 December 2009 (a conference on the “future of services in the internal market” will be held in Prague on 2-3 February). It will also be following up on the priorities of the “Small Business Act” (a conference will be held in Prague on 13-14 May at the end of the first European Small Business Week).
The Presidency is planning to encourage the lifting of the transition periods still being applied by some Member States in order to restrict access for workers from eight EU countries to their labour markets. Restrictions currently cover ten countries which joined the EU in the two most recent rounds of enlargement. The first transition measures on Bulgarian and Romanian workers run out on 31 December 2008 (the other Member States have until the end of 2008 to decide whether to lift their restrictions), while the second transition phase on workers from eight Member States that joined the EU in 2004 (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia) ends on 30 April next year, during the Czech Presidency. In order to extend the restrictions for two years beyond 30 April 2009, the four Member States that still restrict access for workers from the eight nations in question will have to provide justifications on the grounds of serious disruption (or threat of disruption) to their labour markets. Denmark has announced that it will be ending restrictions and Belgium may follow suit, but the situation is less clear-cut for Austria and Germany. On the fringes of the recent European Summit, Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, recognised that she might disappoint the Czech Presidency. The Czechs will be trying to calm concern about the impact of the recent enlargement of the EU, partly through a conference on the subject on 2 March 2009.
The main financial priorities for the Czech Presidency (on which it will have to work with the European Parliament) will be the new European credit rating agency registration system (on which a Council common position will have to be agreed), capital requirements for lending establishments, the work of European insurance and reassurance companies (the Solvency II Directive) and European money market funds (UCITS, undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities). Following on from the recent European Council, the question of reduced rate VAT on labour intensive services will return to the negotiating table of EU finance ministers in March, although consensus has not yet been forthcoming (France was not able to get Germany to give up its resistance to such moves).
Like every presidency, the Czechs will try to improve the administrative environment for business, employment and labour market flexibility and will try to encourage active social inclusion (these matters will be discussed by two dozen conferences and meetings of experts). The Czechs will also be overseeing implementation of the European Economic Recovery Plan and the measures decided upon at the Washington G20 Summit with a view to overhauling the world financial system (in preparation for the next G20 summit in London on 2 April 2009).
Energy and climate change.
The agreement reached on the climate and energy package requires little more than a few legal and linguistic adjustments but the Czech Presidency will be working on these issues as a priority. On climate change, the Presidency will be working hand-in-hand with Sweden to try and achieve the widest possible global consensus ahead of the United Nations conference in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.
Security of energy supplies, replacing fossil fuels by new technologies and greater diversification of energy suppliers will be central over the next six months. The question of diversifying gas supply routes will be examined at a high-level meeting with countries bordering on the Caspian Sea, probably in the form of a troika meeting, at a date close to the spring European Council. The main subject on the table at the 19-20 March 2009 European Council will be the second strategic energy analysis. The accompanying legislative proposals on energy efficiency will be discussed during the Czech Presidency (particularly the directives on oil stocks, the energy performance of buildings, product labelling and the cogeneration (heat & power) guidelines).
The Czech Presidency hopes to improve the coordination of transmission systems operators and encourage the completion of transport and energy routes. With this in mind, it will be encouraging the building of the Nabucco gas pipeline between Iran and central Europe. In order to achieve a common market in gas and electricity, the Presidency will be working closely with the European Parliament to negotiate the third energy market liberalisation package (with a view to adopting it in second reading during the current European Parliament).
External Relations - A safe, open Europe.
The EU's position as a global player depends above all on progress in transatlantic relations and the Czech Presidency will enter into close dialogue with the new US Administration on key issues like security, the economy and energy. Barach Obama has been invited to a full EU27 Summit (rather than simply an EU troika meeting). The Czech Presidency hopes this meeting with the new United States President will take place in Prague in April or May, despite the tradition of meeting locations alternating between the US and the EU (whereby the meeting would normally take place in the United States).
The Czech Presidency will be launching the new “Eastern Partnership,” the high point of which will be a Summit between the EU27 and the five or six countries concerned (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, the Ukraine and possible Belarus). Whether Belarus will actually be invited will depend on whether agreement is reached between EU Member States on the progress the country will be required to make.
Relations with the Western Balkans will be high on the agenda for the Czech Republic. Progress in relations with Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina remains uncertain due to deadlock over the Mladic case and domestic blockages, but Prague has repeated its desire to see all Western Balkans states move closer to the EU. Whatever happens, a full informal Gymnich-type meeting of EU27 foreign ministers on 27-28 March will be given over to the issue.
Accession negotiations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are not expected to make any significant progress, but the Czech Republic wants talks with Croatia to continue apace. It will open as many negotiating chapters as possible, aware that chapters 8 (competition policy) and 23 (the judicial order and fundamental rights) are problematic and a solution still needs to be found to the border dispute with Slovenia, preferably on a bilateral basis.
When it comes to Turkey, the Czech Presidency aims to open as many chapters as were opened by previous presidencies. Negotiations could therefore start during the next six months on two chapters that are not in limbo due to failure to respect Customs Union with Cyprus or chapters directly preparing for accession. Czech diplomats warn that this will largely depend on Turkey's progress in preparations in the relevant chapters by May 2009.
On Montenegro's request to be recognised as a candidate country, the Czech Republic will be pressing for rapid launch of the procedure and the question will be on the agenda of the External Relations Council in January, which will call upon the European Commission to examine the issue (the Commission will only publish its opinion a few months later).
Although mainly looking to the East, the Czech Presidency will not be ignoring the southern dimension and the EU Neighbourhood Policy. It is keen to extend relations between the EU and Israel by improving cooperation in specific sectors (R&D, innovation, agriculture, etc.) in the framework of the future cooperation agreement to be defined by May (to follow on from the current action plan). On the political level, the Presidency wants to organise a Summit between the EU and Israel but agreement has not yet been reached among the Member States on this question. Such a Summit would be a first and would require a similar type of summit to be organised in the future with Palestine (over the next six months or at some other point in the future).
SIGNIFICANT MEETINGS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2009
Official events start on:
7 January: joint meeting of the Czech government and the European Commission in Prague
7 January: conference to inaugurate the European Year of Creativity and Innovation
12-15 January: plenary sessions and first formal meeting with the European Parliament in Strasbourg
Two European Councils are planned:
19-20 March in Brussels
18-19 June in Brussels
Other formal meetings
Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 19 - 20 January in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 12-16 January in Strasbourg
Eurogroup, 19 January in Brussels
Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 20 January in Brussels
General Affairs and External Relations Council, 26-27 January in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 2-5 February in Strasbourg
Eurogroup, 9 February in Brussels
Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 10 February in Brussels
Education, Youth and Culture Council, 16 February in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 18-19 February in Brussels
General Affairs and External Relations Council, 23-24 February in Brussels
Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 23- 24 February in Brussels
Justice & Home Affairs Council, 26-27 February in Brussels
Environment Council, 2 March in Brussels
Competitiveness Council, 5-6 March in Brussels
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council, 9-10 March in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 9 - 12 March in Strasbourg
General Affairs and External Relations Council, 16-17 March in Brussels
Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 23-24 March in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 23 - 26 March in Strasbourg
Transport, Telecoms and Energy Council (Transport), 30 March in Brussels
Transport, Telecoms and Energy Council (Telecoms), 31 March in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 1-2 April in Brussels
Justice & Home Affairs Council, 6-7 April in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 21-24 April in Strasbourg
Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 23-24 April in Brussels
General Affairs and External Relations Council, 27-28 April in Brussels
Eurogroup, 4 May in Brussels
Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 5 May in Brussels
European Parliament (plenary session), 4-7 May in Strasbourg
Education, Youth and Culture Council, 11-12 May in Brussels
Extended General Affairs and External Relations Council (Defence and Development), 18-19 May in Brussels
Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 25-26 May in Brussels
Competitiveness Council, 28-29 May in Brussels
Justice & Home Affairs Council, 4-5 June in Brussels
Eurogroup, 8 June in Brussels
Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 9 June in Brussels
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council, 8 - 9 June in Brussels
Transport, Telecoms and Energy Council (Transport), 11 June in Brussels
Transport, Telecoms and Energy Council (Telecoms and Energy), 12 June in Brussels
General Affairs and External Relations Council, 15 - 16 June in Brussels
Agriculture & Fisheries Council, 22-23 June in Brussels
Environment Council, 25 June in Brussels
Informal meetings of ministers in the Czech Republic:
Informal meeting of General Affairs Council, 8 January (Prague)
Informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers, 15 - 16 January (Prague)
Informal meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers, 22 - 24 January (Luhaèovice)
Informal meeting of Development Ministers, 29 - 30 January (Prague)
Informal meeting of Family Policy Ministers, 4 - 5 February (Prague)
Informal meeting of Defence Ministers, 12 - 13 March (Prague)
Informal meeting of Education Ministers, 22 - 23 March (Prague)
Informal meeting of Foreign Ministers (Gymnich), 27 - 28 March (Hluboká nad Vltavou)
Informal meeting of Economy and Finance Ministers, 3 - 4 April (Prague)
Informal meeting of Regional Development Ministers, 23 - 24 April (Mariánské Láznì/Marienbad)
Informal meeting of Transport Ministers, 28 - 30 April (Litomìøice)
Informal meeting of Competitiveness Ministers, 03 - 05 May (Prague)
Informal meeting of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, 31 May- 02 June (Brno)
Informal meeting of Environment Ministers, 12 - 14 June (Prague)
Informal meetings in Brussels:
- Trade Ministers (dinner), 25 January
Other events:
Gender Mainstreaming High Level Working Group meeting, 8 - 9 January (Prague)
Conference of Ministers for Research in Innovation, Research and Development, 22 - 23 January (Prague)
Conference on the prospects for the internal electricity market, 29 - 30 January (Ostrava)
Conference on parental childcare and employment policy, 5 - 6 February (Prague)
Ministerial conference on e-communications, 17 February (Prague)
Conference on e-justice, 17 - 18 February (Prague)
Ministerial conference on e-health for individuals, society and the economy, 18 - 20 February (Prague)
Conference on EU enlargement, five years on, 2 March (Prague)
COFACC Conference of national parliaments' foreign affairs committees' chairpersons, 9 - 10 March (Prague)
Quality Policy Conference, 12 - 13 March (Prague)
Conference on flexicurity: lifelong learning and social protection components, 25 - 26 March (Prague)
Conference on moving towards an e-environment, 25 - 27 March (Prague)
Ministerial conference 'Forum for a Creative Europe,' 26 - 27 March (Prague)
Seventeenth ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, 6 - 9 April (Prague)
Conference on a children-friendly Europe, 6 - 7 April (Prague)
Conference on the internet in public administration (ISSS), 6 - 7 April, (Hradec Králové)
Ministerial conference on microbial threats to patient safety in Europe,
15-16 April (Prague)
Ministerial conference on a 'Safer Internet for Children', 20 April (Prague)
Conference on social services as an tool for mobilising the workforce and strengthening social cohesion, 22 - 23 April (Prague)
European Patent Forum Conference, 28 - 30 April (Prague)
Ministerial conference on building migration partnerships, 26-28 April (Prague)
Conference on a Europe of committed citizens, 4 - 5 May (Brno)
High level conference on the financial viability of healthcare systems, 10-12 May (Prague)
Thirty-first COSAC meeting (Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union), 11-12 May (Prague)
EU Foreign Ministers and Rio Group Foreign Ministers joint meeting, 13-14 May (Prague)
“Small Business Act for Europe: Entrepreneurship without Barriers,” closing conference of the first European SME week and European prize-giving ceremony, 13-14 May (Prague)
Eurochambers Congress (Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry), 13 - 15 May (Prague)
European conference on dignity, mistreatment and neglect of the elderly, 25 - 26 May (Prague)
Ministerial conference on new ways to overcome gender stereotypes, 27 May (Prague)
Nuclear Forum 2009, 28 - 29 May (Prague)
Nuclear Energy Research Conference, 22 - 24 June (Prague)
Conference on Holocaust Era Assets, 26 - 30 June (Prague)
CZECHS IN THE INSTITUTIONS
European Commissioner:
Vladimir Spidla, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
Jan Jarab, member of Spidla's cabinet (social and humanitarian policy)
Pavel Bouda, member of Spidla's cabinet (free circulation of workers)
Iva Lanova, member of Spidla's cabinet (gender mainstreaming and relations with the ombudsman)
European Commission (department):
Marie Bohata (Deputy Director General of Eurostat)
Karel Kovanda, Deputy Director General, DG External Relations (CFSP, multilateral relations, North America, East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, EEA and EFTA)
Eva Kruzikova, Principal Legal Advisor, Legal Service
Jiri Plecity, member of Verheugen's cabinet
Ladislav Miko, Director, DG Environment
Karel Bartak, Head of Unit, DG Education and Culture
Alès Fiala, Head of Unit, DG Information Society and Media
Pavel Jirsa, Head of Unit, DG Energy and Transport
Libor Král, Head of Unit, DG Information Society and Media
Michal Krejza, Head of Unit, DG Education and Culture
Tomas Kucirek, Head of Unit, DG Taxation and Customs Union
Radek Maly, Head of Unit, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
Alès Musil, Head of Unit, DG Competition
Jan Panek, Head of Unit, DG Energy and Transport
Vladimir Drabek, Head of Unit, DG Translation
Otto Pacholik, Head of Unit, DG Translation
Jakub Cháb, Head of Unit, DG Translation
411 officials (137 men and 274 women, 1.7%)
Council of Minister:
Petr Blizkovsky, Director General, DG Economic and Social Affairs
Jiri Burianek, Director General, DG Competitiveness, Innovation and Research
Petr Hrdlicka, Head of Unit, DG Personnel and Administration
Karel Jezek, Head of Unit, DG Press, Communication and Protocol
David Zelinger, Head of Unit, DG Personnel and Administration
68 officials
European Parliament:
24 Members of the European Parliament: 14 EPP-EE, 2 PES, 6 GUE/NGL, 1 IND-DEM, 1 NI
Jana Bobosikova (NI) (Regional Development Committee, Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and member of EP's EU-Ukraine Cooperation Committee)
Jan Zahradil (EPP-ED) ODS (Civic Democratic Party), chair of the Czech delegation at the EPP-ED (Development Committee, Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee and member of the delegation for relations with India and the joint EU-Turkey parliamentary committee)
Jana Hybaskova (EPP-ED) SNK-ED (SNK - European democrats), chair of the delegation for relations with Israel (Foreign Affairs Committee, Budgets Committee and Security and Defence Subcommittee)
Miroslav Ouzký (EPP-ED) ODS, chair of the Environment, Public Health and Food Committee and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee
Jan Brezina (EPP-ED) KDU - CSL (Christian Democratic Union-Czech Popular Party) (Industry, Research and Energy Committee, Regional Development Committee and member of delegation for relations with countries in South-East Europe)
Milan Cabrnoch (EPP-ED), ODS (Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Budgetary Control Committee and member of the EP's EU-Ukraine Cooperation Committee)
Petr Duchon (PPE - DE), ODS (Budgetary Control Committee, Transport and Tourism Committee and member of the delegation for relations with the United States
Hynek Fajmon (EPP-ED) ODS (Budgets Committee, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and member of delegation for relations with China)
Zuzana Roithova (EPP-ED) KDU-CSL (Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, International Trade Committee, Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee and member of ACP/EU delegation)
Nina Skottova (EPP-ED) ODS (Budgets Committee, Culture and Education Committees and member of interparliamentary Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and European Economic Area delegation)
Ivo Strejcek (EPP-ED) ODS (Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, International Trade Committee and member of delegation of the joint EU-Croatia committee)
Oldrich Vlasak (EPP-ED) ODS (Regional Development Committee, Transport and Tourism Committee, member of delegation for relations with the Andean Committee and member of delegation of the joint EU-Croatia committee)
Tomas Zatloukal (EPP-ED) SNK-DE (Culture and Education Committee, Budgets Committee and member of the delegation for cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan)
Josef Zeleniec (EPP-ED) SNK-ED (Foreign Affairs Committee, Budgetary Control Committee and member of delegation for relations with the NATO parliamentary assembly)
Jaroslav Zverina (EPP-ED) ODS (Legal Affairs Committee, Culture and Education Committee and member of delegation for relations with Japan)
Libor Roucek (PES) CSSD, chair of the Czech delegation at the PES (Foreign Affairs Committee, Budgets Committee and member of the delegation for relations with Iran, the delegation for relations with China and the delegation for EU-Russia cooperation)
Richard Falbr (PES) CSSD (Czech Social Democratic Party) (Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Regional Development Committee and member of delegation for relations with Central America and delegation for relations with MERCOSUR)
Daniel Stroz (GUE/NGL) KSCM (Community Party of Bohemia and Moravia) (Legal Affairs Committee, Culture and Education Committee and joint EU-Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia parliamentary committee)
Vera Flasarova (GUE/NGL) KSCM (Culture and Education Committee, Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee and member of delegation for relations with Belarus and delegation of the EU-Mexico joint committee)
Jaromir Kohlicek (GUE/NGL) KSCM (Transport and Tourism Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee and member of delegation for relations with Southern Asia, delegation for relations with India, delegation for EU-Moldova cooperation and delegation for relations with China)
Jiri Mastalka (GUE/NGL) KSCM (Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Environment, Public Health and Food Security Committee)
Miloslav Ransdorf (GUE/NGL) KSCM (Industry, Research and Energy Committee, Regional Development Committee and member of delegation for cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan)
Vladimir Remek (GUE/NGL) KSCM (Industry, Research and Energy Committee, Transport and Tourism Committee and member of delegation for EU-Russia cooperation and delegation for relations with South Africa)
Vladimir Zelezný (ID) NEZ (Regional Development Committee, Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, member of delegation for EU-Russia cooperation and delegation for relations with Israel)
Administration: 113 officials (Karel Husk, Head of Unit, DG Translation and Publications)
Court of Justice:
Jiri Malenovsky, judge
Irena Pelikánová, president of the chamber
Martin Smejkal, Head of Unit, DG Translation
49 officials
Court of Auditors:
Jan Kinst, member
23 officials
Committee of the Regions:
9 members, 24 officials
European Investment Bank
Governing Council: Miroslav Kalousek
11 officials/experts
European Central Bank
Zdenek Tuma, President of Czech National Bank and member of the General Council
9 officials/experts
Economic and Social Committee
14 members; 15 officials
PRACTICAL DETAILS
Ambassador and Permanent Representative: Milena Vicenova
Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU, 15 Rue Caroly, B-1050 Brussels, http://www.czechrep.be
Tel: (+32 2) 2139 111; Fax: (+32 2) 2139 185
EU Presidency Spokespersons: http://www.eu2009.cz
Jan Vytopil, (Advisor, Public Relations and Coordination)
e-mail: jan_vytopil@mzv.cz
Jan Sliva (Coreper II)
e-mail: jan_sliva@mzv.cz
Radek Honzak (Coreper I)
e-mail: radek_honzak@mzv.cz
Jiøí ŠEBEK (Media and Monitoring)
e-mail: radek_honzak@mzv.cz
Alice MŽYKOVÁ (Culture and Visits)
e-mail: alice_mzykova@mzv.cz
Ministerial spokespersons:
Radim OCHVAT (President of the Czech Republic)
Fax: +420 257 534 239
radim.ochvat@hrad.cz
Jiøí František POTUŽNÍK (Czech Prime Minister)
potuznik.jiri.frantisek@vlada.cz
Michaela JELÍNKOVÁ (Minister for European Affairs)
jelinkova.michaela@vlada.cz
Petr BØINÈIL (Local Development)
petr.brincil@mmr.cz
Jakub KAŠPAR (Environment)
jakub.kaspar@mzp.cz
Jana ØÍHOVÁ (Labour and Social Affairs)
jana.rihova@mpsv.cz
Markéta MATLOCHOVÁ (Home Affairs)
matlochova@mvcr.cz
Zuzana OPLETALOVÁ (Foreign Affairs)
press@mzv.cz
Andrej ÈÍRTEK (Defence)
andrej.cirtek@army.cz
Tomáš BARTOVSKÝ (Industry and Trade)
bartovsky@mpo.cz
Andrea MIMROVÁ (Health)
andrea.mimrova@mzcr.cz
Petra STØÍTECKÁ (Justice)
pstritecka@msp.justice.cz
Radka KOHUTOVÁ (Finance)
radka.kohutova@mfcr.cz
Tomáš BOUŠKA (Education, Youth and Sport)
tomas.bouska@msmt.cz
Lada HLAVÁÈKOVÁ (Transport)
lada.hlavackova@mdcr.cz
Tereza DVOØÁÈKOVÁ (Agriculture)
tereza.dvorackova@mze.cz
Jan CIESLAR (Culture)
jan.cieslar@mkcr.cz
Simona CIGÁNKOVÁ (Czech Government Legislative Council)
cigankova.simona@vlada.cz
Petr KOUBEK (Human Rights and National Minorities)
koubek.petr@vlada.cz