Czechs Release Presidency Conclusions

By: RYAN TAUGHRIN

Figuring out a way to intertwine 27 countries and 23 languages is a mountain of a task, but based off the applause given at the signing of the Presidential Conclusions, the EU is well on its way to improving the quality of life throughout Europe.

Even in the midst of possible international crisis in Ukraine, the April 2009 EU summit produced substantially decisive results.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek announced the official passing of the conclusions and proposals late Saturday, outlining several steps to help the EU address issues of enlargement, energy security, financial assistance to struggling member-nations and provisions to expedite the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon.

“The EU from its very beginning has been committed to strengthening—economically, socially, culturally—all member states. I think that we are going to continue to do that. The Czech Republic is committed to making sure that no country within the Union is left behind,” Topolanek said. “I think that we will come out of this council meeting with a successful resolution on how to deal with this current financial crisis, dealing with individual industries as well as individual member states concerns.”

The four committees that met throughout the weekend stamped out proposals based off the Czech agenda, making decisions that look to improve quality of life throughout the EU that will help in both the short and long run.

Amidst worry that the Czech presidency may not be able to handle this weekend's council due to their governmental collapse only days before summit, leaders within the government quickly assured member-nations that no trepidation was necessary.

Early in the summit, Topolanek sternly declared the unique position the Czech's planned on taking by not pushing any agenda that supported themselves. Rather, he explained, the Czech's were able to understand the concerns of multiple member-nations because of their geographic, political and financial position within the EU.

To quell the worries of the citizens of Ireland and spread the liberalization of worker's through the entire EU, the Committee of Permanent Representative's voted on conclusions that put a deadline on the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon and pushed for the elimination of language barriers in the workforce.

Throughout the weekend, the conversation was dominated by concerns regarding the Irish, a heavy influence from Spain and several strong oppositions from both Poland and Germany. Much of the Lisbon Treaty resolutions relied on the revolving representation of commissioners. A rotating representation will begin in 2014, if the Irish referendum passes in October.

Within the confines of the finance ministry meetings, economic leaders from EU member-states tackled the monumental task of finding both short and long term solutions to financial questions that even the world's top experts are avoiding.

The “Safety Net Bill” proposed by the financial ministers will ideally create a commission that will decide how to lend money that will be received by taking a percentage of Gross Domestic Product from each country. Much dissension surfaced regarding representation on the board, especially from Germany chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Czech finance minister Miroslav Kalousek handled the conflict with poise, utilizing the collective voices of several member nations to create a plan to make sure representation is based off total GDP, using 3 representatives from a low, middle and high GDP bracket on a rotating 6 month basis on the council. In addition, Kalousek was quick to remind heads of government that the conclusions of the finance minister's were recommendations and did not have to be utilized, rather just discussed within each member-nation.

In the most intense and volatile session of the weekend, EU foreign minister's found time to balance discussion on the current energy situation and the crisis that broke out in Ukraine. Thankfully the Ukraine conflict was quelled before Sunday morning sessions began, giving the minister's an opportunity to decide on whether or not funding of Nabucco and South Stream should continue, and how the EU should begin to address alternative energies.

Along with approving and discussing the conclusions made by each other council, the EU Heads of Government (HOGS) also made conclusions regarding EU enlargement. In their deliberations, fueled largely by German, Belgian and Spanish interests, the HOGS decided to concentrate primarily on Croatia's admission into the Union, only actively pursuing other nation's accession once the financial turmoil had settled among current member-nations.

Throughout the simulation, Czech leaders made it a point to remind nations that the proposed agenda came from careful planning and the realization that each point needed to impact all member nations in a way that advanced not only the purpose of the EU, but the ideals of all member nations as well.