Czech Presidency of EU: newsletter n. 3/2009

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:

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/1302/

Ministers of Finance to Hold the First Meeting of the Ecofin Council in 2009

On 20 January 2009 Brussels will hold its first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) under the auspices of the Czech Presidency.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/ministers-of-finance-to-hold-the-first-meeting-of-the-ecofin-council-in-2009-6252/

Czech ministers present Presidency priorities to Parliamentary Committees

Next week in Brussels, members of the Government of the Czech Republic will present the Czech EU Presidency priorities to the European Parliament Committees.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-ministers-present-presidency-priorities-to-parliamentary-committees-6475/

Chairman of the EU Military Committee in the Czech Republic

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/2655/

Informal Meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/191/

INCOM - Conference for Research on Innovation, Research and Development

The workshop will be organized as one of activities within the Czech Presidency of the EU with the aim to raise profile of these policy issues and to try to influence high level policy making at the EU with new ideas which seem to be more relevant to experiences of the new member states (NMS). The focus of this workshop will be on innovation policy issues but within broadly defined framework of “science, technology, innovation and growth systems”.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/188/

Last week’s events:

Topolánek and Schwarzenberg Took Part in Sharm el-Sheikh Summit

President of the European Council Mirek Topolánek and Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg participated in the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit in Egypt.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/topolanek-and-schwarzenberg-at-sharm-el-sheikh-summit-6570/

Czech Presidency Welcomes Progress Achieved in Gas Talks

Following intensive pressure by the EU represented by the Czech Presidency and the European Commission, Prime Ministers of Russia and Ukraine met for talks yesterday for the first time since the start of the gas crisis.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-presidency-welcomes-progress-achieved-in-gas-talks-6552/

Prague Hosted Informal Meeting of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs

On Friday 16 January, the Ministers for Justice of the EU Member States met at the Prague Congress Centre. The Informal Meeting was chaired by Czech Justice Minister Jiří Pospíšil.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/jai_en-6532/

The First Day of the Informal Meeting of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs

Minister of the Interior Ivan Langer and Minister of Justice Jiří Pospíšil welcome their counterparts from all EU Member States in the Prague Congress Centre on 15–16 January 2009.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/the-first-day-of-the-informal-meeting-of-ministers-for-justice-and-home-affairs-6021/

Troika EU – South Africa Meeting Agreed to Deepen Partnership

The EU and South Africa agreed on ways to deepen their partnership in five new areas.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/troika-eu-_-south-africa-meeting-agreed-to-deepen-partnership—6463/

Mirek Topolánek addressed the Members of the European Parliament

The President of the European Council, M. Topolánek, participated in the plenary session of the European Parliament held in Strasbourg on 14 January in order to present the programme and the priorities of the Czech Presidency.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/mirek-topolanek-will-speak-before-members-of-the-european-parliament-5847/

Czech Presidency Plans to Hold a Donors’ Conference for Gaza

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is prepared to call an international donors’ conference to deal with the urgent humanitarian situation of the inhabitants of Gaza.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/mzv-5754/