Ahead of each new rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (every 6 months), the ministers of the holding country present their priorities in a series of meetings with parliamentary committees related to their political area. The committees of ENVI (Environnment, Public Health and Food Safety), AGRI (Agricultural and Rural) and EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs) welcome the Czech Republic’s ministers, including Anna HUBÁČKOVÁ, Minister for the Environment, Zdeněk NEKULA, Minister of Agriculture and Marian JUREČKA, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.

Brussels

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

LINS, Norbert (EPP, DE)

hearing

CANFIN, Pascal (Renew, FR)

Czech Presidency of the EU (T)

PÎSLARU, Dragoş (Renew, RO)

JUREČKA, Marian

NEKULA, Zdeněk

HUBÁČKOVÁ, Anna

Presentation of the EU Council's priorities by Czech Ministers: extracts from the presentation by Czech Ministers in the EP Committee meetings (ENVI, AGRI and EMPL)

Title: Presentation of the EU Council&apos;s priorities by Czech Ministers: extracts from the presentation by Czech Ministers in the EP Committee meetings (ENVI, AGRI, EMPL)

Arrival of Anna HUBACKOVA, Czech Minister of Environment (5 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Anna HUBACKOVA, Czech Minister of Environment, During our presidency we will cover a lot of topics and also organizing different conferences at an international level. our ambition is to gain support of our global partners.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Anna HUBACKOVA, Czech Minister of Environment, Therefore it is important for us to join forces and to make sure that the Climate protection and the protection of the environment will be kept as main priorities of the European Union.

Introduction by Marian JURECKA, Czech Minister of Labour and Social Affairs

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Marian JURECKA, Czech Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, We need to emphasize the fragile position of small and middle sized companies, which doesn't fall within our competence, which falls into competence of Member States. But I think we still need to find common ways of supporting them. 

Arrival of Norbert LINS (EPP; DE), AGRI Committee Chair, and Zdenek NEKULA, Czech Minister of Agricolture (4 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Zdenek NEKULA, Czech Minister of Agricolture, The Czech Republic as the presidency country will represent and defend the EU interests in all the international fora concerned, be these for example the FAO, WHO, Codex Alimentarius, and we will coordinate the position of the EU in the G20 Agricolture Minister meetings.