Czech Presidency of the European Union: Interview with Czech Ambassador to Greece Mrs H. Mottlová

ELIAMEP: One of the main objectives of the Czech Presidency is to promote implementation of the conclusions of G20 Economic Summit in Washington and those of the December European Council. However, Mr. Topolánek has warned of the risks of “excessive regulation and protectionism“. What kind of concrete measures to deal with financial crisis are likely to be implemented during the Czech Presidency?

Ambassador Mrs H. Mottlová: The Czech Presidency keeps emphasising that pressing global economic issues should not divert the European Union either from its concept of increasing competitiveness or from the ongoing liberalisation of the single market. We cannot resign from the structural changes prescribed by the Lisbon Strategy and must responsibly adhere to the principles of the revised Stability and Growth Pact and also observe the competition rules.
One task of a particular importance for the EU governments lies in sustaining the highest possible number of jobs while respecting the common rules of the single market. Even in this difficult economic situation, we need to focus on the development of human capital through supporting education, research and development, and by freeing reserves in the internal market, mainly by removing any barriers regarding the free movement of workers and services, as well as the promising movement of knowledge.
The Czech Presidency has been addressing three major issues in managing the current financial and economic risks: the recovery of financial markets and discussions about better regulation; coping with the decline in economic growth; and the preparation of the EU for international debates on the global financial architecture. Building upon the European Economic Recovery Plan, (EERR) agreed by the European Council in December 2008 as a joint framework for the coordinated effort of the EU and its member states, the Czech Presidency will try to finalise negotiations about the legislative proposals submitted in the plan. The main individual issues include the agreement on reduced VAT rates, the adequate reflection of the EERR in regular surveillance procedures; the review of the Directive on the capital adequacy of investment firms and credit institutions, negotiations on the Directive regulating the insurance sector and the review of the Regulation on cross-border payments in euro just to name a few.

ELIAMEP: Mr Barroso stated that the Commission will help the Czech Presidency to meet all the challenges of the Middle East conflict that will also impact on the June 2009 European elections. How the Czech EU Presidency is going to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Ambassador Mrs H. Mottlová: There are two major topics which are continuously on the top agenda of the Czech Presidency in the EU Council from its outset – first, the financial and economic crisis and second, the Middle East. During the first 10 weeks with the Czech Republic at the helm of the EU, the Presidency has issued eight statements on Gaza and Israel and on 23 January presented (together with France, Germany, Italy, Spain, France) non paper “Towards a durable cease-fire in Gaza – An EU work plan”. Furthermore, there is ongoing in-depth discussion among the EU member states on the situation in Gaza and Israel (at any Council meeting of Foreign Ministers and between them), several visits to the region were undertaken and many more will follow, and President Abbas paid a two-day visit to Prague on 22-23 February. Spurred by the letter of the President of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council and Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, there was a strong and fruitful presence of the EU member states at the “International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Economy for the Reconstruction of Gaza” held in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt) on 2 March.
There are many EU meetings with partner states outside the EU partially or fully devoted to this topic. The very next meeting will take place in Brussels on 15 March. The EU delegation comprising Minister Karel Schwarzenberg joined by General Secretary of the EU Council and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner and a representative of Sweden, will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the Foreign Minister of Egypt Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Foreign Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Riad Malki and the Ambassador of Jordan to the European Union Ahmad Masa’deh.

ELIAMEP: The Nabucco Project is one of the highest priorities of the Czech Presidency. The Commission President declared recently that no link should be made between Turkey accession negotiations on the complex energy chapter and the Nabucco project. How the Czech Republic will address these two issues during its Presidency?

Ambassador Mrs H. Mottlová: It is already well-known and well-proved, that one of the crucial priorities of the Czech Presidency is energy. Dealing with challenges in this area, there are several important elements including strengthening independence and security and diversifying energy suppliers/sources as well as transit routes. To this end, we see the Nabucco Project, the construction of a new gas line to Europe. But not only that, “it is time that the Nabucco Project became the Nabucco Process” as succinctly expressed by the Czech Prime Minister and President of the European Council M. Topolánek at the Nabucco Conference in Budapest in January 2009.

The Czech Presidency strives to proceed with EU accession negotiations with Turkey. We want real progress if the conditions are met. One of the negotiating chapters is Energy, the importance of which goes without saying. Nevertheless, the opening of this chapter is a hard task on both technical and political levels. We do not want to link the Energy chapter and the Nabucco Project in the sense that the Nabucco Project should continue regardless of the status of the Energy chapter. However, if there is a progress regarding the Energy Chapter, there must be an adequate reply from Turkey regarding the transit.

ELIAMEP: It is the new EU Presidency’s responsibility to prepare the Climate Energy Package. The EU builds its reputation strongly in the ecological sphere. In short, climate change will remain a key issue for the Czech Presidency?

Ambassador Mrs H. Mottlová: There is absolutely no shred of doubt about the environment being among the main issues in the EU during the first half of 2009. To express it symbolically, the initial “E” in the word “Environment” reflects the three pivotal “E-s” of the Czech Presidency (Economy, Energy and Europe in the world) and intersects them.

As mentioned in the working programme of the Czech Presidency, when addressing the joint commitments, the Presidency will consistently strive to ensure the economic sustainability of the individual steps, their cost-efficiency and long-term economic and social impacts.

In the field of climate protection, the adoption of the Climate-Energy Package in December 2008 gives us a good starting point for conducting negotiations in order to achieve a global climate agreement on setting targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions after 2012 which is to be adopted in Copenhagen in December 2009.  The meeting of the EU Environment Council in Brussels on 2 March discussed the Commission Communication on the Copenhagen Summit including a proposal for the EU position towards the distribution of commitments to bring down greenhouse gas emissions between industrialised and less-developed countries and regions as well as how to finance adaptation measures, especially in poor less-developed countries.

Apart from major climate protection, the Czech Presidency wants to focus on  three other areas: first, protection of human health and the environment (a directive on industrial emissions, regulations on ozone-depleting substances, waste management of electrical and electronic equipment); second, on sustainable consumption and production (to raise awareness among the EU citizens also through labelling of organisations applying environmental approaches and eco-labelling of products); and third, on biodiversity protection (the Communications on invasive species and a regulation banning the trade of seal products) and soil protection.

ELIAMEP: In the second half of 2009 the Irish will hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Does Czech Prime Minister Topolánek´s public judgement about the Lisbon Treaty not burden the effort of the Irish government trying to persuade Irish citizens to ratify it?

Ambassador Mrs H. Mottlová: All public statements by Prime Minister Topolánek concerning the Lisbon Treaty are positive and unambiguously in favour of this EU legal document. The Czech Presidency is fully aware of the responsibility to implement the conclusions of the European Council in December 2008 therefore we are in close contact and conduct continuous dialogue with Irish representatives in order to facilitate all necessary preparations. The common objective of the Czech Presidency and the Irish Government is to present to the European Council in June 2009 at the latest the final texts of the Irish guarantees, as it was announced after the meeting of the Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra and the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Martin T.D. in Cork on 15 February 2009.

ELIAMEP: What are your expectations concerning the EP elections in June 2009? Surveys suggest that EU citizens seem not interested and that the trend of a low turnout will not be reversed. Why do you think that people seem indifferent? And how could EU citizens be motivated to vote?

Ambassador Mrs H. Mottlová: Any elections are an evaluation of what has been done as well as an expression of confidence in what is being proposed – by individuals through voting, and I stress the word voting. Regarding the next EP elections, there is a generally shared wish to achieve a high turnout. To this end, I think we need to secure and present the EU policies, actions, positions and views meaningful and pertinent to the EU citizens and that is a crucial task primarily for politicians and especially strong EP candidates. I find the united motto of the EP elections information campaign “It is your choice” a wisely selected one; it is clear and has a mobilising effect.