Energy security tops Czech Presidency agenda[fr][de] 

Although the Czech Republic is suffering less than others from the recent disruptions to gas supplies thanks to its connection to an alternative pipeline from Norway, Prague considers energy security to be a prerequisite of the Union's political stability. The presidency intends to contribute by helping to identify priority infrastructure projects and by initiating an improved legal basis, both internally and with third countries and regions. 

Nabucco summit? 

Prague revealed its intention to hold a 'Southern Corridor Summit' on energy to promote diversification of energy sources and transit routes. Mirek Topolánek, the country's prime minister, had already indicated that Prague would push for the planned Nabucco gas pipeline (which aims to reduce the Union's dependence on Russian gas) to become an EU project (EurActiv 16/12/08). 

But the precise scope of these ambitions remains unclear. The 'Southern Corridor Summit' will in fact be a high-level meeting with representatives of the Caspian region, a Czech spokesperson told EurActiv. 

Experts on Russia sought 

Identifying 'energy' as one of the three 'Letter E' Czech priorities, alongside 'the economy' and 'The European Union in the world', Prague wants to stabilise the bloc's relations with the main foreign suppliers, primarily by "clarifying" Russia's role. Dialogue with Russia will continue, the document says, as will the negotiations on the new partnership agreement with Moscow. An EU-Russia summit will be held in May. 

The Czech Republic, which described Moscow's reaction during the August conflict in Georgia as "disproportionate", also plans to "strive for the cooperation of experts on Russian politics across the EU" in identifying a "more coherent EU approach" towards Russia. 

Prague also plans to organise the opening summit of the Eastern Partnership, an initiative recently launched by the European Commission (EurActiv 04/12/08), to be held at the level of EU heads of state and government and their colleagues from Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. The participation of the latter remains subject to "steps taken by the Belarus government," the document says. 

An EU-Ukraine high level meeting will take place on 16 January in Kiev. The EU delegation will receive the Ukrainian president in Prague on 5 February. 

Priorities with the new US administration 

The Czech Presidency also plans to work closely with the incoming Obama administration in the US on a variety of issues, namely multilateralism, the Middle East peace process, Afghanistan/Pakistan, relations with Russia and joint efforts to deal with the financial crisis. The date of an EU-US summit has not yet been set. 

Asked about the scheduling and venue for the EU-US summit, Prime Minister Topolánek said it was certain that Obama would come to Europe, but he was not sure whether the informal EU–US summit would take place in Prague or in Brussels. According to Topolánek, the Czech presidency will try to "get Obama to Prague on 4 April". 

Economic recovery not without free movement of labour 

Regarding the financial crisis, Prague says that Europe must prepare for a "significant slowdown in economic growth or even an economic downturn, with all its social, political and international consequences". 

Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra, responsible for EU affairs, said the most important events on the economic agenda would be the spring European Council on 19-20 March and the G20 summit in London in April. "The European Council will prepare the common position of the EU for this summit," Vondra said. 

Taking stock of a long-prepared initiative to push for the removal of all remaining barriers to free movement of labour in the Union, Prague expects such a development to benefit the continent in the context of the crisis. This view may not be shared by some Western EU countries such as UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Belgium, which recently opted to keep their labour markets closed to Bulgarians and Romanians for a second period of three years, citing the economic downturn as the main reason for their decision. 

Strong message to Croatia 

Prague has issued a strong message in favour of Croatia's early EU accession, adding that this would also constitute a major source of motivation for other countries. On Turkey, which Prague calls "a strategic ally of the EU", the wording is more careful. Ankara is given assurances that negotiations will continue. A 'Western Balkans meeting' (not summit) is scheduled for 27-29 May in Prague. 

Vondra said his country would like to concentrate on the Western Balcans at the Gymnich (informal EU foreign ministers meeting) on 27-28 March at Hluboka, a town in southern Bohemia. 

Memories of the past 

A number of events are dedicated to anniversaries or memories of a totalitarian past. A conference entitled 'EU enlargement: Five years on' will be held in Prague on 1-2 March to mark the anniversary of the accession of the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta to the bloc on 1 May 2004. 

Another conference, 'Twenty years on: The memory of Nazism and Communism', to be held on 22-23 June, will commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. Morover, a conference on Holocaust era assets will take place on 26-30 June in the Czech capital.