Priorities of the Czech EU Presidency 2009 Milena Vicenová December 2008, Brussels

GENERAL FRAMEWORK OF THE CZECH PRESIDENCY December 2008  EP Elections  End of the EC’s term of office  Lisbon Treaty  Current Developments (financial crisis and economic slowdown)

SYMBOLIC FRAMEWORK FOR THE CZECH PRESIDENCY December 2008  5 years after the largest enlargement in EU history  20 years after fall of Iron Curtain  30 years after the first direct elections to EP  60 years after founding of NATO

PREPARATIONS FOR THE CZECH PRESIDENCY December 2008  Main priorities  Sectoral priorities and agendas (Preparation of EU Council programmes, working parties and committees)  18 month programme of French, Czech and Swedish Presidencies => Working Programme

PRESIDENCY MOTTO December 2008 EUROPE WITHOUT BARRIERS  Removing existing barriers within the EU (internal and external)  Barriers prevent full use of EU potential  Taking present financial crisis as a challenge – avoid over-regulation and reject protectionism (Declaration of the Leaders of the Group of Twenty, November 15, 2008)

PRIORITIES OF THE PRESIDENCY December 2008  E conomy  E nergy  E uropean Union in the World

ECONOMY December 2008  Resolving financial crisis  Reinforcing EU competitiveness  Fully applying all internal market freedoms  Improving regulatory environment  Research and development, innovation, education  External trade

ENERGY December 2008  EU energy security  Internal electricity and gas market  Energy efficiency and low-carbon energy sources  Climate protection

EXTERNAL RELATIONS December 2008  Eastern partnership  Western Balkans  Transatlantic relations  Human rights, transformation policy and development cooperation  Area of freedom, security and justice

KEY PERSONALITIES European Council Foreign Affairs Summits General Affairs Coordination December 2008

CONSULTATING ON PRIORITIES December 2008  Committee on the EU  Czech Parliament  Social and economic partners  Association of Regions, Union of Towns and Municipalities  Non-profit sector  Czech Members of EP  Groups of external experts

CHALLENGE FOR THE CR December 2008  Leading EU with 493 million inhabitants  Better understanding how EU functions  „University“ of a diplomacy  Country promotion  Modernisation of the state administration  „Europe“ in the member country

Thank you for your attention! December 2008