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:

Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Governments

After meeting the European Commission, Czech Prime Minister and European Council President Mirek Topolánek announced, together with Commission President José Manuel Barroso, that the Czech Presidency calls an informal EU meeting, to take place in Brussels on 1 March.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/3153/

Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA)

There will see the Justice and Home Affairs Council during 26 – 27 February 2009 in Brussels. Minister of Justice Jiří Pospíšil and Minister of Interior Ivan Langer will chair the Meeting.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/1416/

Czech Foreign Minister to chair EU External Relations Council

GAERC President and Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg will chair a meeting of the EU External Relations Council in Brussels on Monday 23 February.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-foreign-minister-to-chair-eu-external-relations-council-10405/

Last chance to be accredited as a media representative for the conference “Enlargement – 5 Years After”

The conference “Enlargement – 5 Years After” is held on 2 March in Prague to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the biggest enlargement in the history of the EU.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/last-chance-to-be-accredited-as-a-media-representative-for-the-conference-_enlargement-_-5-years-after_-10223/

Post your questions for the chat with President of the Czech Senate Sobotka and Minister of Justice Pospíšil

Přemysl Sobotka, President of the Czech Senate, and Jiří Pospíšil, Minister of Justice, will answer your questions online in the European chat.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/post-your-questions-for-the-chat-with-president-of-the-czech-senate-sobotka-and-minister-of-justice-pospisil—10409/

Conference on Strengthening EU Competitiveness – Potential of Migrant Workers on the Labour Market

That is the title of the thematic conference of the Czech Presidency that will be held on 26 February and 27 February in the Prague Congress Centre. The event will start with a presentation by Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Petr Nečas.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/299/

Last week’s events:

Meeting of the European members of the G20 group in Berlin

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, in his capacity as President of the European Council, attended the meeting of the European members of the G20 group, called to Berlin by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/g20-in-berlin-10464/

Topolánek met German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin

Czech Prime Minister and President of the European Council Mirek Topolánek held bilateral talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin before the G20 meeting.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/topolanek-met-german-chancellor-angela-merkel-in-berlin-today—10457/

Czech Presidency welcomes European Commission Communication on Five years of an enlarged EU

The Czech Presidency welcomes the Commission Communication on the five years of an enlarged European Union, published today.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-presidency-welcomes-european-commission-communication-on-five-years-of-an-enlarged-eu-10410/

Energy Council discusses how to improve EU energy security

At a meeting today in Brussels the Council of Ministers for Energy supported the Second Strategic Energy Review, which defines the priorities for securing energy security in the EU.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/press-releases/energy-council-discusses-how-to-improve-eu-energy-security—10180/

EU-Africa meeting: focus on climate change and EU-Africa Partnership

Environment Ministers from Africa and Europe met in Nairobi on Thursday during the 25th session of the UNEP Governing Council to discuss climate change, international environmental governance and the EU-Africa Partnership.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/press-releases/eu-and-africa-meeting-focused-on-climate-change-and-eu-africa-partnership-10168/

Your questions answered by Czech Education Minister Ondřej Liška

Tuition fees at higher education institutions, the Lisbon Treaty, research at EU and US universities, the European Year of Creativity and Innovation – these and other topics featured in the European chat.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/ondrej-liska-responded-to-your-questions-in-on-line-european-chat-10167/

The Czech Prime Minister and the President of the European Council, Mirek Topolánek, in the European Parliament

Financial crisis and informal EU summit addressed by Topolánek in Brussels.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/topolanek-in-the-european-parliament-10050/

Liška chairs the Council of Ministers: cooperation and investments in education

Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Ondřej Liška today presided over the Brussels meeting of EU Ministers for Education. The agenda of the afternoon meeting focused mainly on education.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/press-releases/liska-chairs-the-council-of-ministers:-cooperation-and-investments-in-education—9674/