The Czech Republic assumes the Visegrad Group Presidency at a time full of challenges on the national as well as global level. The European Union will enter a new institutional cycle after EP elections. It will have to address the final phase of Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations and consequences of the expected Brexit, as well as long-standing issues related to security, asylum and migration.

The Czech Presidency will follow up on the Slovak Presidency programme. The Czech Presidency's overall aim is to strengthen the Visegrad Group's position in the EU and NATO while fostering unity and cohesion of the two organisations. We would like to apply a rational, pragmatic and constructive approach, put emphasis on European agenda and formats and work on the broadening of the coalition potential of the V4 within the EU and in its neighbourhood. Visegrad cooperation should remain effective, informal, flexible and inclusive.  The motto of the CZ V4 PRES will be „V4Reasonable Europe“.

The main priority areas of CZ V4 PRES will be 3R:

Reasonable solutions: During CZV4PRES we will recall several anniversaries (the fall of communist regimes, accession of V4 countries to NATO and the EU, International Visegrad Fund) that provide an opportunity to revitalise the positive ideals with which the V4 countries welcomed the return of freedom and democracy, and their hopes for reunification of Europe based both on universal human values and on respect for national particularities. With this inspiration in mind, CZ V4 PRES will try to deliver constructive proposals benefiting people in the V4 and also  in the whole EU: support deepening of the internal market of the EU and the preservation of its four freedoms, economic and social convergence in the EU, the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans and the EU Eastern Neighbourhood Policy, defense cooperation (V4 Battle Group on standby in II/2019) and will encourage the excellent level of people-to-people relations, including the role of the IVF.  

Revolutionary technologies – innovative economy and its social impacts: CZV4PRES will concentrate on support for research, development and innovation, innovative ecosystem, Digital Single Market, artificial intelligence  but also on education and adaptability of people to the related changes in the labour market. In the area of RDI, V4 countries aspire to become a source of inspiration for others.

Reconciling approaches: CZV4PRES will try to overcome the dividing lines and contribute to cohesion of the EU. We will promote cooperation in the V4+ format with the goal of expanding the V4 coalition potential, especially with the key EU partners such as  Germany,  France,  Austria, Benelux and the Nordic and Baltic countries. This will regard the final stages of negotiations on MFF, future of migration and asylum policies, regional cooperation on infrastructure connections and energy policy, especially nuclear energy.

Previous Czech V4 Presidency (July 2015- June 2016):

The Czech Presidency programme intended to expand cooperation in areas where joint efforts may bring tangible results and thereby reinforce trust in the Visegrad cooperation meaningfulness as well as among the Visegrad partners themselves. The programme was based on the document “Guidelines on the Future Areas of Visegrad Cooperation” (the Kroměříž Declaration of the V4 PMs) in which all the relevant Ministries have identified promising topics and forms of V4 cooperation.

 

Report on the Czech Presidency in Visegrad Group 2015-2016: ww.visegradgroup.eu/report-on-the-czech-v4

From July 2016 till June 2017, the Visegrad Presidency was held by Poland.

Since July 2017 till June 2018, Hungary was the Visegrad Presidency, followed by Slovakia (July 018 till June 2019).