CzECH REPUBLIC
3. Position and potential impact of the Czech Republic on current key issues
3.5. External relations, enlargement, neighbourhood policy concerning the EU’s common foreign and security policy
the czech standpoint emphasises the sovereignty of the member states.25 the country intends to continue its strong engagement in EU activities in the neighbourhood,
22 http://www.energy.eu/country_overview/Czech_Republic_2011.pdf 23 Government of the Czech Republic (2011b), pp. 67-68.
24 Ministry of Industry and Trade (2010)
25 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (2011)
especially in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Southern caucasus and the middle East. prague will continue to support the European and Euro-atlantic course of foreign policy provided it is backed by the society. actually, the czech republic takes part in the funding and implementation of European development cooperation and humanitarian aid as well as in some EU missions carried out in the framework of common security and defence policy. namely, the czech republic took part in the EUfor rD congo mission in the Democratic republic of congo from July 2006 till november 2006, in the EUfor althea mission26 in Bosnia and herzegovina from December 2004 till June 2008, and again from June 2010 on, and recently also joined the EU naVfor “atalanta” mission in Somalia to protect vessels from piracy. 27
concerning the question of EU enlargement, the standpoint of the czech republic is supportive. prague would welcome iceland in the EU and because of some economic reasons it also supports the membership of turkey.28the czech republic has not just corporate interests (cEZ), but the turkish market is important for a great number of other czech companies too. the Western Balkan region has a high priority in the czech external relations; the country has been participating in peacekeeping operations of the United nations there. prague is interested in the stability and prosperity of the region and once the membership criteria are met all these countries should be able to join the Union.
the czech republic would like to see a balanced EU approach towards the southern and eastern neighbours and in the czech view the European neighbourhood policy must
26 To provide deterrence and to contribute to a safe and secure environment for the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Agreement.
27 Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of the CR – current deployments 28 Bartovic, V. – Král, D. (2010)
consumption solid fuels, petroleum products, gases and nuclear power play an important role while production is mostly concentrated on solid fuels and nuclear power.22
concerning strategic issues, the government set the national target of maintaining the current pace of decline in energy intensity, which is also in line with the target of 20% higher energy efficiency set by the EU.23With a view to decreasing pollution and promoting sustainability the czech republic also pledged to cover 13% of its energy consumption by renewable sources by 2020 (the current rate being above 8%). this was laid down in the strategic document entitled “national renewable Energy action plan of the czech republic”.24
the czech republic has been emphasising the importance of strengthening the single European market since it entered the European Union. the czech republic and the United kingdom put recently forward a joint initiative to liberalise further the EU’s energy market as well. not surprisingly, since the cEZ (České Energetické Závody i.e.
czech power plants) is the biggest public energy company in central and Eastern Europe and has therefore a basic interest in liberalising the energy market in the European Union.
3.5. External relations, enlargement, neighbourhood policy concerning the EU’s common foreign and security policy the czech standpoint emphasises the sovereignty of the member states.25 the country intends to continue its strong engagement in EU activities in the neighbourhood,
22 http://www.energy.eu/country_overview/Czech_Republic_2011.pdf 23 Government of the Czech Republic (2011b), pp. 67-68.
24 Ministry of Industry and Trade (2010)
25 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (2011)
especially in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Southern caucasus and the middle East. prague will continue to support the European and Euro-atlantic course of foreign policy provided it is backed by the society. actually, the czech republic takes part in the funding and implementation of European development cooperation and humanitarian aid as well as in some EU missions carried out in the framework of common security and defence policy. namely, the czech republic took part in the EUfor rD congo mission in the Democratic republic of congo from July 2006 till november 2006, in the EUfor althea mission26 in Bosnia and herzegovina from December 2004 till June 2008, and again from June 2010 on, and recently also joined the EU naVfor “atalanta” mission in Somalia to protect vessels from piracy. 27
concerning the question of EU enlargement, the standpoint of the czech republic is supportive. prague would welcome iceland in the EU and because of some economic reasons it also supports the membership of turkey.28 the czech republic has not just corporate interests (cEZ), but the turkish market is important for a great number of other czech companies too. the Western Balkan region has a high priority in the czech external relations; the country has been participating in peacekeeping operations of the United nations there. prague is interested in the stability and prosperity of the region and once the membership criteria are met all these countries should be able to join the Union.
the czech republic would like to see a balanced EU approach towards the southern and eastern neighbours and in the czech view the European neighbourhood policy must
26 To provide deterrence and to contribute to a safe and secure environment for the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Agreement.
27 Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of the CR – current deployments 28 Bartovic, V. – Král, D. (2010)
be based on the true will of the individual partner countries to cooperate and implement reforms. partnership with the Eastern European countries i.e. with the former Soviet republics has a high priority in the czech diplomacy. the Eastern partnership initiative during the czech presidency in 2009 highlighted that next to the economic relationship the political relations must have an important role as well.
Even though the czech diplomacy can be very pragmatic, the question of democracy and human rights is also a crucial point in the context of the bilateral relations.
4. Summary and conclusions
in the czech republic – despite conflicts between the coalition partners – the internal political situation is stable:
a three-party centre-right coalition is governing the country.
internal tensions are however present especially as regards structural reforms and EU policies. in the latter field it is important to highlight that the government, and especially the president, are rather eurosceptic. the cautious or even distant attitude of the czech political leadership is well demonstrated by the fact that the czech republic is not a signatory party either to the Euro plus pact or to the fiscal compact. the crisis hit the highly export-dependent czech economy very harshly. growth is still sluggish, consumption has not recovered yet. at the same time, the government has been introducing restrictive measures to consolidate public finances. the czech republic has reservations vis-à-vis the commission’s proposal on the upcoming mff especially as regards the increase of bureaucracy involved with the proposed greening or the capping of direct payments to big farms (typical for the country). the system of cohesion assistance should not change substantially according to prague which does not support channelling
money away from less developed countries and regions to richer ones. the czech republic has one of the lowest energy dependency rates in the EU nevertheless it is keen on having a real European energy market with more interconnection projects. prague is willing to promote enlargement towards all European countries which meet the necessary criteria.
it also backs the Eastern partnership programme of the EU.
5. References
•Bartovic, Vladimír – král, David (2010): the czech republic and the EU Enlargement: Supportive but not enough? in:
Balcer, adam (ed.) 2010, poland and the czech republic:
advocates of the EU Enlargement?
•Český statistický úřad (2012): Volebním serveru ČSÚ (czech Statistical office, cZSo’s Election Server), available at:
http://www.volby.cz/pls/senat/se1213?xjazyk=EN&xdatum=0&xv=2
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•European commission (2012): position of the czech republic on the future of EU cohesion policy after 2013, available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/archivconferences/4thcohesionforum /doc/contributions/cz_nat_cont_en.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•Euractiv (26 april 2011): the czech republic’s emphatic ‘no’
to capping agricultural subsidies for big farms, available at:
http://www.euractiv.com/cap/czech-republics-emphatic-capping-agricultural-subsidies-big-farms-analysis-504311
(last access: 26 June 2012).
be based on the true will of the individual partner countries to cooperate and implement reforms. partnership with the Eastern European countries i.e. with the former Soviet republics has a high priority in the czech diplomacy. the Eastern partnership initiative during the czech presidency in 2009 highlighted that next to the economic relationship the political relations must have an important role as well.
Even though the czech diplomacy can be very pragmatic, the question of democracy and human rights is also a crucial point in the context of the bilateral relations.
4. Summary and conclusions
in the czech republic – despite conflicts between the coalition partners – the internal political situation is stable:
a three-party centre-right coalition is governing the country.
internal tensions are however present especially as regards structural reforms and EU policies. in the latter field it is important to highlight that the government, and especially the president, are rather eurosceptic. the cautious or even distant attitude of the czech political leadership is well demonstrated by the fact that the czech republic is not a signatory party either to the Euro plus pact or to the fiscal compact. the crisis hit the highly export-dependent czech economy very harshly. growth is still sluggish, consumption has not recovered yet. at the same time, the government has been introducing restrictive measures to consolidate public finances. the czech republic has reservations vis-à-vis the commission’s proposal on the upcoming mff especially as regards the increase of bureaucracy involved with the proposed greening or the capping of direct payments to big farms (typical for the country). the system of cohesion assistance should not change substantially according to prague which does not support channelling
money away from less developed countries and regions to richer ones. the czech republic has one of the lowest energy dependency rates in the EU nevertheless it is keen on having a real European energy market with more interconnection projects. prague is willing to promote enlargement towards all European countries which meet the necessary criteria.
it also backs the Eastern partnership programme of the EU.
5. References
•Bartovic, Vladimír – král, David (2010): the czech republic and the EU Enlargement: Supportive but not enough? in:
Balcer, adam (ed.) 2010, poland and the czech republic:
advocates of the EU Enlargement?
•Český statistický úřad (2012): Volebním serveru ČSÚ (czech Statistical office, cZSo’s Election Server), available at:
http://www.volby.cz/pls/senat/se1213?xjazyk=EN&xdatum=0&xv=2
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•European commission (2012): position of the czech republic on the future of EU cohesion policy after 2013, available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/archivconferences/4thcohesionforum /doc/contributions/cz_nat_cont_en.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•Euractiv (26 april 2011): the czech republic’s emphatic ‘no’
to capping agricultural subsidies for big farms, available at:
http://www.euractiv.com/cap/czech-republics-emphatic-capping-agricultural-subsidies-big-farms-analysis-504311
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•Europolitics (27 January 2012): net contributors stick to request for 100 bn. euro cut, available at:
http://www.europolitics.info/institutions/net-contributors-stick-to-request-for-100-bn-euro-cut-art324486-37.html
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•government of the czech republic (2011a): koncepce zahraniční politiky České republiky (concept of foreign policy of the czech republic), available at:
http://www.mzv.cz/jnp/cz/zahranicni_vztahy/vyrocni_zpravy_a_
dokumenty/koncepce_zahranicni_politiky ceske.html
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•government of the czech republic (2011b): investing into European competitiveness: contribution of the czech republic to Europe 2020 Strategy. national reform programme of the czech republic 2011.
•government of the czech republic (2012a): Working team of the tripartite discussed „plan for growth in Europe”, available at:
http://www.vlada.cz/cz/evropske-zalezitosti/aktualne/working-team-of-the-tripartite-discussed-plan-for-growth-in-europe-93304/
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•government of the czech republic (2012b): contribution of the czech republic to Europe 2020 Strategy investment for European competitiveness: 2012 national reform programme of the czech republic.
•Joint Declaration of the Visegrad group of countries and Slovenia on the commission’s proposals for the future cohesion policy regulatory package (march 2012), available at:
http://www.mrr.gov.pl/rozwoj_regionalny/Polityka_spojnosci/Polityka_
spojnosci_po_2013/Debata/Documents/DeclarationV4_SI_final11.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•král, David – Bartovic, Vladimír (2010): the czech and the Slovak parliaments after the lisbon treaty. Europeum institute for European policy.
•král, David (2012): Why the czechs did not sign up to the fiscal treaty, Epin commentary no. 9, 7 february, available at:
http://ceps.eu/book/why-czechs-did-not-sign-fiscal-treaty
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•ministry of Defence and armed forces of the czech republic – current deployments, available at:
http://www.army.cz/scripts/detail.php?id=6568
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•ministry of finance of the czech republic (2011):
convergence programme of the czech republic. april 2011
•ministry of foreign affairs of the czech republic (2011):
koncepce zahraniční politiky České republiky 2011.
•ministry of finance of the czech republic (2012a):
macroeconomic forecast of the czech republic January 2012.
•ministry of finance of the czech republic (2012b):
convergence programme of the czech republic. april 2012.
•ministry of industry and trade (2010): national renewable Energy action plan of the czech republic, available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/doc/
national_renewable_energy_action_plan_czechrepublic_en.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•Europolitics (27 January 2012): net contributors stick to request for 100 bn. euro cut, available at:
http://www.europolitics.info/institutions/net-contributors-stick-to-request-for-100-bn-euro-cut-art324486-37.html
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•government of the czech republic (2011a): koncepce zahraniční politiky České republiky (concept of foreign policy of the czech republic), available at:
http://www.mzv.cz/jnp/cz/zahranicni_vztahy/vyrocni_zpravy_a_
dokumenty/koncepce_zahranicni_politiky ceske.html
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•government of the czech republic (2011b): investing into European competitiveness: contribution of the czech republic to Europe 2020 Strategy. national reform programme of the czech republic 2011.
•government of the czech republic (2012a): Working team of the tripartite discussed „plan for growth in Europe”, available at:
http://www.vlada.cz/cz/evropske-zalezitosti/aktualne/working-team-of-the-tripartite-discussed-plan-for-growth-in-europe-93304/
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•government of the czech republic (2012b): contribution of the czech republic to Europe 2020 Strategy investment for European competitiveness: 2012 national reform programme of the czech republic.
•Joint Declaration of the Visegrad group of countries and Slovenia on the commission’s proposals for the future cohesion policy regulatory package (march 2012), available at:
http://www.mrr.gov.pl/rozwoj_regionalny/Polityka_spojnosci/Polityka_
spojnosci_po_2013/Debata/Documents/DeclarationV4_SI_final11.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•král, David – Bartovic, Vladimír (2010): the czech and the Slovak parliaments after the lisbon treaty. Europeum institute for European policy.
•král, David (2012): Why the czechs did not sign up to the fiscal treaty, Epin commentary no. 9, 7 february, available at:
http://ceps.eu/book/why-czechs-did-not-sign-fiscal-treaty
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•ministry of Defence and armed forces of the czech republic – current deployments, available at:
http://www.army.cz/scripts/detail.php?id=6568
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•ministry of finance of the czech republic (2011):
convergence programme of the czech republic. april 2011
•ministry of foreign affairs of the czech republic (2011):
koncepce zahraniční politiky České republiky 2011.
•ministry of finance of the czech republic (2012a):
macroeconomic forecast of the czech republic January 2012.
•ministry of finance of the czech republic (2012b):
convergence programme of the czech republic. april 2012.
•ministry of industry and trade (2010): national renewable Energy action plan of the czech republic, available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/doc/
national_renewable_energy_action_plan_czechrepublic_en.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
56 STRATEGIC ISSUES FOR THE EU10 COUNTRIES MAIN POSITIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EU POLICY-MAKING 57
ee
•prague Daily monitor (20.20.2012): Čr joins initiative strengthening single European market, available at:http://praguemonitor.com/2012/02/20/%C4%8Dr-joins-initiative-strengthening-single-european-market
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•the czech republic’s views on the cap reform proposal (2012), available at:
http://eagri.cz/public/web/file/150207/Pozice_SZP_CZ_final_AJ.doc
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•Visegrad group presidency communication on multiannual financial framework, available at:
http://www.vlada.cz/assets/media-centrum/aktualne/Visegrad-Group-Presidency-Communication-on-Multiannual-Financial-Framework.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
ESToNIA
Ahto Lobjakas
1. domestic political framework, EU strategy of the government
1.1. Overview of internal politics
the president of Estonia, toomas hendrik ilves was re-elected on 29 august 2011 in a parliamentary vote for a second five-year term. Supported by the two partners in the governing coalition, the reform party and the respublica and pro patria Union, as well as the oppositional Social Democrats, ilves received 73 votes out of a total of 101.
the current government was re-formed in the wake of the 6 march 2011 elections by the reform party (rp) and the respublica and pro patria Union (rpUp), which took 33 and 23 mandates, respectively, again out of a total of 101 seats. the rp is a right-wing pro-free-market party; its agenda is mostly dominated by economic desiderata such as deregulation, improvements in the business climate, the continuation of the current flat-tax regime, etc. the rpUp
56 STRATEGIC ISSUES FOR THE EU10 COUNTRIES MAIN POSITIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR EU POLICY-MAKING 57
ee
•prague Daily monitor (20.20.2012): Čr joins initiative strengthening single European market, available at:http://praguemonitor.com/2012/02/20/%C4%8Dr-joins-initiative-strengthening-single-european-market
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•the czech republic’s views on the cap reform proposal (2012), available at:
http://eagri.cz/public/web/file/150207/Pozice_SZP_CZ_final_AJ.doc
(last access: 26 June 2012).
•Visegrad group presidency communication on multiannual financial framework, available at:
http://www.vlada.cz/assets/media-centrum/aktualne/Visegrad-Group-Presidency-Communication-on-Multiannual-Financial-Framework.pdf
(last access: 26 June 2012).
ESToNIA
Ahto Lobjakas
1. domestic political framework, EU strategy of the government
1.1. Overview of internal politics
the president of Estonia, toomas hendrik ilves was re-elected on 29 august 2011 in a parliamentary vote for a second five-year term. Supported by the two partners in the governing coalition, the reform party and the respublica and pro patria Union, as well as the oppositional Social Democrats, ilves received 73 votes out of a total of 101.
the current government was re-formed in the wake of the 6 march 2011 elections by the reform party (rp) and the respublica and pro patria Union (rpUp), which took 33 and 23 mandates, respectively, again out of a total of 101 seats. the rp is a right-wing pro-free-market party; its agenda is mostly dominated by economic desiderata such as deregulation, improvements in the business climate, the continuation of the current flat-tax regime, etc. the rpUp
styles itself as a patriotic-conservative force and supports the current relatively restrictive citizenship policies – while its economic programme does not deviate markedly from that of the rp. Both coalition parties support Estonia’s active involvement in the EU. Both have undergone a marked shift in this respect from 2004-2005 towards backing a more active role of the EU’s central institutions in most fields, including that of foreign policy. the reform party was the
styles itself as a patriotic-conservative force and supports the current relatively restrictive citizenship policies – while its economic programme does not deviate markedly from that of the rp. Both coalition parties support Estonia’s active involvement in the EU. Both have undergone a marked shift in this respect from 2004-2005 towards backing a more active role of the EU’s central institutions in most fields, including that of foreign policy. the reform party was the