Síkela: Czech EU presidency can help advance Industry Ministry priorities

Czechia can use its presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year to advance key priorities of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, such as energy and raw-material security. Industry Minister Jozef Síkela (STAN) said this today at the opening of a meeting of Czech economic diplomats at Prague's Czernin Palace. After the presidency ends, he intends to lead a number of export-support missions, mainly to countries outside Europe.

Síkela named ensuring the country's energy, raw-material and resource security as priorities for his ministry. The ministry also wants to actively help companies succeed in foreign markets and strengthen cooperation within the EU. „The Czech presidency can be a good instrument for meeting these goals,“ Síkela noted. Czechia will take over the presidency of the Council of the EU from France in mid-year.

The presidency will be a major task for Czechia, Síkela noted. He said that over the next six months he will spend almost 40 days chairing various councils and events. Once the presidency ends, he wants to focus his efforts on supporting exports. „Next year, I will be ready to lead a number of export-support missions,“ he said. He noted that diplomats from countries outside Europe in particular can look forward to his visits.

According to Síkela, the current situation is shaped by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which also includes an energy war against Europe. „We are working in a difficult environment and, unfortunately, without the reserves and resources from the previous years of prosperity,“ he said. Following Russia's invasion, energy and raw-material security has regained importance in the EU, having initially receded under the current European Commission in favour of green issues, he noted. The Czech government is continuing to prepare a five-year plan to phase out Russian raw materials, he said.

Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the diplomats met in person for the first time since 2019. Until Wednesday, their programme includes discussions with representatives of government and non-governmental institutions, economic experts and businesspeople. Individual consultations with Czech companies, organised by the Confederation of Industry and Transport, are scheduled for Thursday and Friday.