The Czech EU Presidency: Rethink, Rebuild, Repower

Under the motto of former President Vaclav Havel "Europe as a task", from July 1, 2022 the Czech Republic takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union.

"Prague perceives this not only as an opportunity for joint reflection but above all as a call for responsibility and decisive action based on the values ​​that our conscience requires us to follow. If we want to live up to the expectations of this historic moment, our triple challenge is: to rethink, rebuild and recharge Europe", reads the publication on the official website of the presidency.

Europe as a Task: Rethink, Rebuild, Recharge

When in 1996 Czech President Vaclav Havel considered the future of our continent in his speech at the Charlemagne Award ceremony entitled "Europe as a Task", he emphasized that the tasks facing Europe deserve careful and thorough consideration. In the international context at the time, particularly favorable to Western democracies, Havel called on Europeans to rediscover their conscience and take responsibility for global environmental, social and economic challenges. He did not want Europe to regain its position as a "global conductor" and impose its cultural values ​​on the rest of the world. What he meant was more to inspire and lead by example.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine overturned the geopolitical situation on the European continent and at the same time showed that Europeans in a crisis caused by an external threat are capable of acting very quickly, effectively and united. Yet European unity is not a unity of authoritarian unanimity, but a unity in the diversity of a multi-voiced debate, which is nevertheless guided by our common values ​​towards consensus.

The priorities of the Czech...