The term "EU Presidency" generally means the chairing, by a Member State, the Council of the European Union . The presidency changes hands every six months, which means that two countries hold the presidency each calendar year. The Czech Republic assumed the presidency to the Council of the EU in the first half of 2009 as the second country from the group of states that joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. It handed over the Presidency to Sweden on June 30.

At the beginning of its functional period, every presiding country presents its programme stating the goals to be achieved in the course of its presidency in individual areas of the EU policies. These goals as a rule proceed from the current situation and problems solved in the given period and they reflect specific priorities of the presiding countries.

The key issue of the presidency to the Council of the European Union is to determine the main priorities and the following concrete programme. The Czech Republic took over the presidency to the Council of the European Union at the time when crucial questions concerning further development of the EU (i.e. reform of the Common Argicultural Policy, EU budget review, continuation of the Lisbon process, further enlargement of the EU, implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon and formation of new EU institutions, etc.). In 2009 elections to the European Parliament were held.

The main motto of the Czech Presidency to the Council of the European Union was "Europe without Barriers" . As the main programme area was defined the area of competitiveness, four liberties and the liberal trade policy . In connection with the main programme area, the Czech Republic determined three chief priority areas presented in the document The main priorities of the Czech Presidency in the EU 2009: The competitive Europe, Energy and climate changes and Europe open and secure. The three main foreign policy priorities of the Czech EU Council presidency were: development of transatlantic relations, the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe . The Czech Republic, during its EU Council Presidency, supported the deepening of the European neighbourhood policy with orientation to its Eastern dimension.

In order to preserve the programme continuity of presidencies, an institution of an 18-month presidency programme has been constituted. The programme is jointly drafted by the three consecutive presiding countries. The Czech Republic has created this formation with France which held the presidency in the second half of 2008 and Sweden which took over the presidency after the Czech Republic in July 2009. The contents and structure of the 18-month programme was compiled on the basis of talks of representatives of the three states and its topics reflect the main priorities of the three presidencies. The work on the 18-month programme of the presidency to the Council of the European Commission was symbolically completed on 27 May 2008 when the European Union Ministers and Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France and Sweden arrived in Prague. On 16 June 2008 the Joint Programme was presented to the Council of the European Union and afterwards it was officially declared at the beginning of the French presidency and published at its website. All three states will cooperate to fulfill the programme.

LINKS:

The entire text of the 18-month programme

Work Programme of the Czech Presidency

"Czech EU Presidency 2009 - Questions and Answeres"

EU Priorities for the 63rd General Assembly of the United Nations

Summary

Entire document

French Presidency of the Council of the European Union

The Czech internet website Euroskop.cz - is the official source of information about the EU and the membership of the Czech Republic in the European Union. Calendar of events offers a list of events concerning the European Union to be held in the Czech Republic. Information can be found according to individual days, months, or regions. The website also offers information about already realized activities.

Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic- Calendar of events of the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic in Brussels offers a list of Czech events in the EU and Belgium, including negotiations of Czech representatives in the EU. The Calendar has been continuously updated.

Eurocentres - information places where citizens can address their questions concerning the European Union. They provide information about the European Union to wide and professional public, they offer a whole number of supplementary services for those who wish to get better acquainted with the European Union and with the aspects of the Czech Republic's membership in the European Union. Contacts to Eurocentres in individual regions can be found on the website Euroskop.cz/eurocentra.

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