European Policies
The term European policies refers to areas which are dealt with by the bodies of the European Union and regulated and/or coordinated by these bodies through a variety of binding and non-binding acts (such as regulations, directives, decisions, recommendations, framework decisions, and so on).
The agendas of the particular European policies are based on the establishing treaties, namely the Treaty Establishing the European Community and the Treaty on European Union. At the EU level, the policies are dealt with by the relevant Directorates-General of the European Commission and by the relevant Sector Councils of the Council.
European policies may be classified according to a variety of criteria, such as their content, their definition in the establishing treaties or according to certain institutional criteria, and so on. A basic classification can be made in accordance with the structure of Sector Councils, at which meet the ministers who are responsible for the particular areas to be discussed at the Member State level: Economic and Financial Affairs, Competition, Agriculture and Fisheries, Telecommunications, Transport and Energy, Social Affairs, Employment, Health and Consumer Affairs, General Affairs and External Relations, Environment, Education, Youth and Culture, Justice, and Internal Affairs. The listed areas may, of course, be subdivided much further.
In the Czech Republic, European policies are coordinated by the European Policies Coordination Department, which is part of the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs. The department’s activities are aimed at cooperation with the relevant ministries and other authorities dealing with the particular policies, with the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union, and with the relevant bodies of the EU. Other tasks of the European Policies Coordination Department are the coordination of inter-ministerial cooperation, the arrangement of compromise in relation to policies falling within the competence of more than one authority, the interconnection of the particular policies at the central level, and the provision of a supra-ministerial point of view. Not least, the European Policies Coordination Department ensures operation of both levels of the Committee for the European Union.
Committee for the European Union
The Committee for the European Union is a working body of the Government, which sets up and coordinates positions of the CzechRepublic in the EU. The Committee for the European Union holds its meetings at the level of its members or at the working level. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is the Chair of the Committee for the EU. The Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs is the Chair of the Committee for the EU at working level.
The work of the Committee for the European Union conforms to the Statute and the Rules of Procedure. The Secretariat of the Committee for the European Union is a part of the organizational structure of the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs. At present, the Committee for the European Union deals with and approves materials relevant for the preparation of the Czech EU Presidency.
More information and documents relating to the Committee for the EU can be found on the website of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, in the section Working and Advisory Bodies.
The agendas of the particular European policies are based on the establishing treaties, namely the Treaty Establishing the European Community and the Treaty on European Union. At the EU level, the policies are dealt with by the relevant Directorates-General of the European Commission and by the relevant Sector Councils of the Council.
European policies may be classified according to a variety of criteria, such as their content, their definition in the establishing treaties or according to certain institutional criteria, and so on. A basic classification can be made in accordance with the structure of Sector Councils, at which meet the ministers who are responsible for the particular areas to be discussed at the Member State level: Economic and Financial Affairs, Competition, Agriculture and Fisheries, Telecommunications, Transport and Energy, Social Affairs, Employment, Health and Consumer Affairs, General Affairs and External Relations, Environment, Education, Youth and Culture, Justice, and Internal Affairs. The listed areas may, of course, be subdivided much further.
In the Czech Republic, European policies are coordinated by the European Policies Coordination Department, which is part of the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs. The department’s activities are aimed at cooperation with the relevant ministries and other authorities dealing with the particular policies, with the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union, and with the relevant bodies of the EU. Other tasks of the European Policies Coordination Department are the coordination of inter-ministerial cooperation, the arrangement of compromise in relation to policies falling within the competence of more than one authority, the interconnection of the particular policies at the central level, and the provision of a supra-ministerial point of view. Not least, the European Policies Coordination Department ensures operation of both levels of the Committee for the European Union.
Committee for the European Union
The Committee for the European Union is a working body of the Government, which sets up and coordinates positions of the CzechRepublic in the EU. The Committee for the European Union holds its meetings at the level of its members or at the working level. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is the Chair of the Committee for the EU. The Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs is the Chair of the Committee for the EU at working level.
The work of the Committee for the European Union conforms to the Statute and the Rules of Procedure. The Secretariat of the Committee for the European Union is a part of the organizational structure of the Office of the Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs. At present, the Committee for the European Union deals with and approves materials relevant for the preparation of the Czech EU Presidency.
More information and documents relating to the Committee for the EU can be found on the website of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, in the section Working and Advisory Bodies.
