Press Release on the Forthcoming Visit to Prague by Swedish and French Counterparts of Czech Vice Premier for European Affairs A. Vondra
On Thursday, September 20, 2007, Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic Alexandr Vondra will meet in Prague Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Swedish Minister for the European Union Cecilia Malmström, and French State Secretary for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet.
Alexandr Vondra will discuss current preparations for the Czech Republic’s presidency with his opposite numbers at a working lunch to be attended on the Czech side by Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, Czech Ambassador to the EU Jan Kohout, and Czech Ambassadors to Sweden and France, Marie Chatardová and Pavel Fischer respectively.
The Czech Republic has chosen the motto “Europe Without Barriers“ for its presidency of the Council of the European Union that will start on January 1, 2009 and end on June 30, 2009. The No. 1 priority of the Czech presidency should be the field of competitiveness, freedom of the movement of goods, people, services and capital, and liberal trade policy. Other Czech priorities will be a sustainable and safe Energy sector, Budget review and reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, EU´s External Relations, and the area of Justice and Internal Affairs.
