Speech of Jan Fischer at the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union

Dear ladies, dear gentlemen,

I am honoured to have an opportunity to greet you in the framework of the Czech presidency here in Prague. The European Parliament as the only one directly elected body of the European Union, and the national parliaments constitute together the backbone of the European democracy. On the one hand the European Parliament is gradually become emancipated from the European Commission and the European Council. On the other hand, parliaments of member countries, as guards of the principle of subsidiarity, will be more engaged in the legislative process, in the formation of European rules. It is necessary for the maintenance of legitimacy of the integration project so that all the measures necessary which are being adopted in the EU would be approved through democratic procedures and so that they would be closest to the citizens.

This is my first opportunity when I can speak to you as the Prime Minister of the presiding country. I can assure you that my main concern is finish properly and without turbulences the Czech presidency and to continue the effective and successful presidency of Mirek Topolánek. I realize well that our internal problems must not jeopardize the function of half-a-billion Community and that is why the hand-over of competences has been in progress as early since I was designated as the Prime Minister and I am gradually familiarized with the EU agenda.

Tasks that are ahead of us require exerting all forces and I will do my best for the continuation of the Czech presidency schedule. I feel great commitment towards all the citizens of those 27 member countries so that the readiness for action of the European Union would not be jeopardized by the exchange of governments, so that we would continue that active approach demonstrated during the gas crisis, so that we would continue handling impacts of the financial crisis, as consensus concerning the common procedure refusing protectionism and highlighting all-European cooperation and the joint position towards G20 or the IMF has been reached, so that we would develop good relationships with the new American administration that have been significantly stimulated thanks to the visit of the President Barack Obama at the EU-USA summit in Prague, so that we would successfully manage also next summits – with Russia and China.

Of course, I would like to continue good cooperation with the European Parliament. Nearly fifty measures have been completed in the legislative sphere in the common decision-making procedure with the European parliament.

I do not want to revert in detail to all those dramatic circumstances which had to be solved by the Czech presidency since the 1st January 2009. I would like to focus on the future. In spite of the fact that I perceive that the wave of that all-European scepticism which emerged after the fall of the government, in spite of the fact that I can hear all those voices which are saying now that small and new countries are not mature enough to be able to govern the UE effectively, I will do my best to persuade you that the opposite is true. I am not a politician and therefore it is not possible to expect any farsighted visions of me, but I promise you hard work – work based on a rational thinking, work based on facts and economic analyses.

For that matter, the political programme of the Czech presidency is scheduled and I want to continue its three priorities, its three "E's" – Economy, Energy and the European Union in the World. I want, of course, to continue fulfilment the current tasks which have been brought about above all by the economic crisis. I am convinced that there are matters that are to be continued.

Economy

As far as our first "E" – economy – is concerned, the most important is the fight against impacts of the crisis. More than 400 billion EUR were pumped into the European economy in the framework of the rescue measures of the economic revitalization strategy in the first quarter of this year, and at the spring session of the EU Council the increase of guarantees for countries facing problems with the balance of payments was approved.

We must continue, of course. Apart from direct financial injections into endangered countries and critical sectors of economy, it is necessary to initiate long-term structural reforms and investments into infrastructure together with taking steps for the promotion of the growth of economy activities of private subjects. It is also necessary to revive trust into financial markets and to restore again the flow of financial means in the form of credits.

The Czech presidency managed to negotiate effective measures in all those areas, whether it concerned reaching the agreement on the directive on reduced rates of the value added tax, change of the regulation of structural funds or significant changes concerning the supervision over financial markets; in this respect it is necessary to mention in particular the improvement of the regulation in crucial spheres of financial markets and simplification of terms of payment in the framework of the EU.

During discussions on searching tools for revitalization of the economic growth, we must not forget ordinary people for whom the economic crisis means above all the loss of jobs as their means of earning a living. That was the main reason for organizing an extraordinary employment summit in the presence of social partners which was held on 7th May in Prague.

Energy

The second priority sphere of the Czech presidency programme is energy and connected issues. They have been one of key pillars of preparations for the presidency for a long time. The Czech Republic, as a country which is dependent to a great extent upon the imports of the Russian oil and gas, realizes well the sensitivity of the energy security of the EU as a whole and it intends to do its best for its strengthening.

We want to continue the solution of the gas crisis and in particular we want to draw conclusions for the future. It is necessary to bear in our minds that a similar crisis may strike again. For that reason we must focus on taking short-term, middle-term and long-term measures to strengthen our energy security. In this respect it is necessary to appreciate the decision of the spring session of the EU Council which approved the investments of a predominant part of so called five-billion package into infrastructure projects aimed at the promotion of the energy security, in particular into the Nabucco project. Another significant step on the way to diversification of energy suppliers into the EU countries was the summit South Corridor, which was held last week.

Apart from the gas crisis and searching long-term solutions for the promotion of the energy security of Europe through the diversification of suppliers, the Czech presidency focused on completion of the discussion on priorities of the Second Strategic Energy Review. We succeeded in concluding an agreement on the Third Liberalization Package, as well as other crucial legislative measures focused on the promotion of the energy efficiency, which would enable curbing of our energy dependence on other, often instable, countries as well. The Czech presidency does not forget the preparation of the unite EU position for the "Climatic Summit" in Copenhagen which will be organized at the end of this year.

The European Union in the World

In the framework of the third priority – the European Union in the World – a prerequisite has been proved that if the EU wanted to face the world competition, it would have to accept the role of the global player. In the field of foreign policy we must play such a role which would correspond to the economic and political potential the Union.

The EU bears a special responsibility towards countries in its direct neighbourhoods. It has the most effective means for exertion of its influence in these territories, whether through the offering future membership in the EU or a privileged partnership. It is also the reason why the Czech presidency invested lots of energy and a political capital into the Eastern Partnership project which had been successfully started following the political consensus reached at the March EU Council. The summit on the Eastern Partnership, which was organized in Prague last week, was the first step towards implementation of that project.

The second significant part of a crucial importance is the west Balkan and the European prospects of countries in that region. In spite of certain problems – in particular the frozen process of negotiations on accession with Croatia – it is necessary to highlight the efforts of the Czech presidency aimed at maintaining that prospect; it was proved in particular by satisfactory results of informal session of ministers of foreign affairs at the end of March and by presenting a request for working out a review in connection with the request of the Monte Negro for the EU membership. As you certainly know, Albania has been also aspiring for the membership in the EU. The Czech presidency will be focused on the continuation of the enlargement process and on the strengthening of the neighbourhood policy in the future.

Also the visit of the new American president Barack Obama, who was in Prague at the beginning of April, was a great success. The informal summit EU-USA which was held on that occasion was an extraordinary opportunity to start the cooperation and to exchange views on key global economic and security issues with the new American administration. I am of the opinion that it is a good basis for the future. The cooperation and understanding between the USA and the EU are crucial for the stability in the world.

Dear ladies and gentlemen, lots of things have happened in the course of the late four months. Some of those events were rather unexpected. I am convinced that the Czech presidency carried off its role properly and successfully. My government is aware of its responsibility for the successful completion of the presidency. I am also aware of the fact that the presidency and its results depend on the cooperation of all of us – member states, the EU institutions, in particular the European Parliament and the European Commission. I will strive for such cooperation. I believe that we will succeed in continuation our existing cooperation, everything good which we managed to reach in the course of the first four months of the Czech presidency. I am convinced that we will be able, after the elections to the European Parliament and the session of the EU Council, the preparation of which will be certainly very demanding, to pass our Swedish colleagues the office of the President of the EU Council with a feeling that we did a lot of good work. Thank you for your attention.