We send you the 2009 Czech EU Presidency weekly Newsletter with information about the most important events. Thank you for your interest. More information about the Presidency is available at Czech Presidency.

This week’s events:

General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/1323/

Information on the EU Troika – Afghanistan

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/information-on-the-eu-troika-_-afghanistan-6900/

Informal Meeting of Development Ministers

On 29 – 30 January the Informal Meeting of EU Development Ministers will be held under the auspices of the Czech Presidency in the Prague Congress Centre. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Kohout was appointed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg to chair the meeting.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/212/

Scientific Conference on the "Prospects for the Internal Electricity Market"

The main themes of the Conference entitled In Search of Security of Energy Supply of the EU Member States on the Common Electricity Market will include the simplification and harmonisation of legislation governing the transmission networks system, the creation of a European network of transmission system operators for electricity, and a single cross-border electricity transmission tariff. The conference will be attended by the European Commissioner for energy, Andris Piebalgs.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/2028/

Czech Ball

The Czech Republic has decided to kick off the European Year of Creativity and Innovation in a non-traditional way by organising a ball in Brussels with the participation of prominent personalities of contemporary Czech art. Many different artists will take part, mainly musicians (performing classical and contemporary music, vocal music, jazz as well as folk music), dancers (showing ballroom dance, contemporary dance and classical ballet) and designers who will all work together to make it a creative event.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/2/1710/

Last week’s events:

Serbia Plans to Bid for EU Membership during Czech Presidency

Serbia wants to apply for EU membership during the Czech Presidency, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic announced today after talks with Czech Deputy PM for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/serbia-plans-to-bid-for-eu-membership-during-czech-presidency-7490/

EPSCO in Luhačovice: Labour Mobility to Cure Financial and Economic Crisis

23 January was the last day of the official part of the informal meeting of EU Minister for Employment and Social Affairs.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/epsco-in-luhacovice:-labour-mobility-to-cure-financial-and-economic-crisis-7478/

Presentation of the priorities of the Czech EU Presidency to the European Parliament - Committees

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/2080/

EU Presidency Statement on the inauguration of the new President of the United States

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union warmly welcomes the inauguration of Barack Obama as the President of the United States of America.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/eu-presidency-statement-on-the-inauguration-of-the-new-president-of-the-united-states-6904/

Finance Minister Kalousek Presents Presidency Priorities to ECOFIN Council

Today’s meeting of the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) in Brussels was presided over by Czech Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek for the first time.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/ecofin_en-6820/

Agriculture and Fisheries Council Chaired by Minister Gandalovič

For the first time as President of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Czech Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovič opened the discussion on the principles of legal timber trade on the EU market.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/agriculture-and-fisheries-council-chaired-by-minister-gandalovic-6697/

Czech Presidency welcomes resumption of Russian gas deliveries through Ukraine

The Czech EU Presidency welcomes the resumption of Russian gas deliveries to the citizens of the European Union through Ukraine.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-presidency-welcomes-resumption-of-russian-gas-deliveries-through-ukraine—6811/