Czech Presidency of EU: newsletter n. 7/2009

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:

UNEP summit to discuss climate protection and use of mercury

World environment ministers will negotiate for a week in Nairobi, Kenya at the regular session of the Governing Bodies of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Czech Presidency delegation will be lead by Minister Bursík.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/unep-summit-to-discuss-climate-protection-and-use-of-mercury-9427/

Ministerial Conference on e-Communications: "Next Steps in EU Telecoms"

The main topic of the conference is the role of electronic communications in the internal EU market, particularly in relation to the current economic crisis.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/269/

E-Justice Conference

The Minister of Justice Jiří Pospíšil will officially welcome his resort colleagues from the EU Member States at the international conference in the area of e-Justice. During 17 – 18 February he will chair the meeting of approximately three hundred delegates in the Congress Centre of Prague.

http://www.eu2009.cz/event/1/272/

Invitation to the press conference on the occasion of the Ministerial Conference eHealth 2009

A special press conference “eHealth for Individuals, Society and Economy” with ministers of EU Member States and Macedonia will start on 19 February 2009 at 2.30 p.m. at Villa Richter.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/invitation-to-the-press-conference-on-the-occasion-of-the-ministerial-conference-ehealth-2009-9477/

Last week’s events:

Czech Deputy Prime Minister A. Vondra meets Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Martin

The Czech Presidency, represented by the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra, met the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin T.D. in Cork, Ireland, today.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-deputy-prime-minister-a—vondra-meets-irish-minister-for-foreign-affairs-m—martin-9535/

Topolánek: Caspian Region has enough raw materials and is willing to supply EU

President of the European Council Mirek Topolánek has ended his 3-day visit to the Caspian Region where he and Minister of Industy and Trade Martin Říman had talks with top leaders from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/topolanek:-caspian-region-has-enough-raw-materials-and-is-willing-to-supply-eu-9533/

Alexandr Vondra responded to your questions in on-line European chat

Medium-sized or small countries in the Presidency role; Russia-EU relations; upcoming EU-China summit and the issue of human rights – these and other topics were among the questions answered by the Deputy PM for European Affairs.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/alexandr-vondra-responded-to-your-questions-in-online-european-chat-9505/

Kalousek takes part in ECON meeting with National Parliaments

Today, Czech Finance Minister and ECOFIN Council President Miroslav Kalousek took part in a meeting of the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) with National Parliaments.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/kalousek-takes-part-in-econ-meeting-with-national-parliaments-9412/

Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Government to be held on 1 March

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

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/eu-summit-to-take-place-in-brussels-on-1-march-9351/

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek responded to your questions in a European chat

Nicolas Sarkozy, nuclear energy, Barack Obama in Prague and the Guantánamo prisoners – these rank among the issues you asked about in the European chat. You can read the answers of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek here.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/prime-minister-mirek-topolanek-responded-to-your-questions-in-a-european-chat-9295/

José Manuel Barroso: Excellent start of the Czech Presidency

According to José Manuel Barroso the Czech Republic has made an excellent start to its Presidency of the European Union. Read Barroso’s views on the Czech Presidency.

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/barroso:-excellent-start-of-the-czech-presidency-9215/