Archive: European Union | European Union European Union
Nečas urges caution, referendum on euro in wake of Zeman comments
The rather moribund debate over when to join the single European currency
has been revived in recent days, with the Czech president Miloš Zeman
telling a German newspaper his country could adopt the euro within five
years. The eurosceptic government is rather more cautious; prime minister
Petr Nečas reiterated after a meeting with the head of the European
Council on Thursday that his government had no plans to set a date for
adoption. More
President Zeman hoists EU flag at Prague Castle
Czech President Miloš Zeman has made a gesture to distinguish himself from
his predecessor in the eyes of Europe. While the eurosceptic Václav Klaus
refused to fly the EU flag, on Wednesday Mr. Zeman raised the symbol over
Prague Castle in the company of the head of the European Commission. The
recently installed head of state also ratified the eurozone’s rescue
fund. More
Prague endorses Turkey’s EU candidacy
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid a one-day working visit to
Prague on Monday for talks dominated by business and his country’s drive
to revitalize accession talks with the EU. The Czech Republic, which has
nurtured ties with one of the world’s fastest growing economies, fully
endorsed Ankara’s ambition. More
EU criticizes Czech Republic for inefficiently drawing funds
In a document outlining the future priorities for EU funding for the Czech
Republic, the European Commission has criticized the influence of political
changes on government administration. The report also takes a strong stand
on the country’s insufficient efforts to develop a more competitive
economy. More
Prague reassures Serbian foreign minister of continued support
The Czech and Serbian foreign ministers met in Prague on Monday, discussing
Serbia’s candidacy for EU accession and the two country’s relations.
The tensions over Czech Republic’s recognition of Kosovo back in 2008
seemed to be a thing of the past. Serbia became an official candidate for
EU accession in March of this year, and it is looking to strengthen ties
with all of its European supporters. More
Sceptical Czechs threaten to veto EU ‘banking union’
European leaders meeting in Brussels have agreed a timetable for the
creation of a single banking supervisor for the eurozone. All 6,000 banks
in the eurozone would be regulated by the European Central Bank; a
mechanism that would essentially create a European banking union. But
several countries are extremely sceptical, and they include the Czech
Republic. More
Czechs lose the butter battle to the EU
The European Union’s Court of Justice on Thursday banned Czech producers
from using a name for a diary product that has been on the market for over
thirty years. The court ruled that the popular butter spread or
pomazánkové máslo may not have the word butter in its name, since its
milk-fat content is lower than the 80% butter must have according to
European law. More
Under pressure from Brussels, Czechs ban export of hard alcohol
The Czech government bowed to pressure from the European Union on Thursday
evening, imposing an immediate ban on exports of hard alcohol. The ban came
amidst warnings the European Union was planning to impose its own ban on
imports of Czech spirits in the wake of a spate of methanol poisoning
that’s so far claimed the lives of 23 people. More
Czech MEP: European conservatives would prefer Romney at White House
Czech MEP Jan Zahradil will appear at the US Republican Party convention in
Tampa Bay, Florida, later this week. The convention will formally nominate
Mitt Romney as the party’s presidential candidate, and Mr Zahradil, who
is a deputy chair of a conservative group in the European Parliament, says
conservatives would welcome Mitt Romney’s becoming the next US president.
Jan Zahradil will appear at a panel entitled Hey America, Don’t Take This
Road. RP spoke to the Czech MEP and asked him what his message to the
Republican delegates will be. More
New manifesto seeks to revive debate about Czech position in EU
An initiative by several Czech NGOs and members of the country’s business
community seeks to stir up debate about the Czech Republic’s position
within the European Union. The manifesto, entitled Confident Czech Republic
in a strong Europe, calls on MPs and government officials to ensure that
Czechs remain at the core of the EU. In this edition of Marketplace, we
talk to some of its authors and signatories and looks at what impact, if
any, the initiative might have on the Czech debate about the future of the
European Union. More
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