Germany’s EU Council presidency paves the way for closer European cooperation - and draws Czechia into it Published: 7 December 2020 Analysis When Germany took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from Croatia, the rest of the EU Member States welcomed it with a kind of relief. After the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, Europe found itself on the brink of a deep economic crisis. The EU capacities were occupied with other burning issues: post-COVID economic recovery, negotiations of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the climate crisis, the ongoing Brexit negotiations, and the need for a new pact on migration. Germany’s takeover was seen as good luck during a European misfortune, as the country well known for its negotiation skills and experienced diplomats is also the EU’s economic powerhouse. By Vendula Karásková
Czech EU Presidency – a Missed Opportunity Published: 24 March 2014 When evaluating the Czech EU presidency, the first question we need to deal with is what we might expect from a successful presidency. According to most of the academic literature in the field, the country holding the presidency is expected to act as an honest broker, and thus as a country interested in promoting the interests of the EU, not solely its own interests.
The Czech EU-Presidency - A Polish Perspective Published: 24 March 2014 The Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU has, since the very beginning, attracted negative comments, especially in the “old” member states. A “new” rather small member state, which has not yet ratified the Lisbon Treaty, was under close scrutiny of the more experienced and influential partners in the Community. The deepening financial crisis and the volatile situation on the European stage as well as the new American administration getting into power, all that suggested that the time of the Czech Presidency would be full of new challenges.
Europe without Barriers: Depends on for Whom Published: 24 March 2014 The primary slogan of the Czech EU Presidency is “Europe without Barriers”. However, the current political representatives of the country primarily want to remove barriers i the areas of trade and business. Equal opportunities, mainly those concerning women and men, are perceived by the main coalition party ODS primarily as “positive discrimination” that restricts the “free market”. Many non-governmental organizations are of a different opinion, namely, that the policy of equal opportunities for women and men facilitates free choice by breaking down societal prejudices and barriers.
The Czech Republic, France, and the Passing of the Presidency Baton Published: 24 March 2014 Ever since the most recent wave of enlargement (at least), the European Union cannot exactly be described as an homogenous entente. The coexistence of 27 countries of such varied geopolitical and economic weight and with such different traditions of political culture can only occur on the basis of coalitions created to balance out their various interests and aims. The current EU Presidency trio of France, the Czech Republic and Sweden is more than instructive as concerns this problematic situation.
The role of the Czech EU-Presidency in the International Climate Negotiations Published: 24 March 2014 International climate negotiations are in a crucial period now in the run-up to the COP 15 in Copenhagen. The EU is one of the key players in these negotiations and is expected to put forward new proposals on particular issues. It also has the opportunity and the obligation to strengthen the negotiations between various key players. The Czech Ministry of Environment is working very actively on the issue during the Czech EU-Presidency. Below you can find several press releases from the Czech Environment Ministry which give an insight into their work on international climate policy.
The Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU: Europe in Harmony? Published: 24 March 2014 Rarely has the European public ever been quite this uncertain as to whether a Member State can handle the challenges connected with the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Most of the concern is over whether controversial Czech President Václav Klaus may attempt some sort of provocation.
The World in Crisis - Manifesto for the Czech Presidency of the European Union Published: 24 March 2014 In times of crisis, the poor suffer the most. The cumulative effects of global economic downturn, climate change, and energy and food crises call into question the entire economic model and policies of the past quarter of a century. And yet a world in multiple crisis opens windows of opportunity. More stable, equitable and sustainable economies are already springing up locally. To retain greater control over local food, energy and money, to achieve a stable climate and fairer consumption, a global vision of alternative economics and politics is also needed.
Schwarzenberg’s Mission to the Middle East Published: 24 March 2014 The Czech EU Presidency has evidently begun more abruptly than the Czechs ever wanted. At the very moment the country took up the “scepter” of the presidency, the conflict between Hamas and Israel in Gaza was in full blaze, and the Czech Republic immediately had to engage in one of the most closely-followed world conflicts ever. It later proved that Czech politicians were not able to adopt the EU diplomatic language as their own immediately. Unlike the majority of Western European politicians, who stressed the opinion that Israel’s reaction was disproportionate, the first statements by the Czech Prime Minister and the Czech Foreign Minister clearly labeled Hamas as to blame for the conflict.
Grand plans, money and falls – seeking values and answers in the financial crisis Published: 24 March 2014 The Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU comes at a watershed period. Europe and the world are being shaken by a global crisis. Many people agree, however, that the watershed concerns more than just the economic crisis. Every crisis is an opportunity for reflection and change. The current global financial crisis indicates that after 25 years a change in political thinking is once again impending. Coming into play are new forms of economics and politics, lifestyle and international order.
