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. On Monday 11 July 2022, the committees of CULT (Culture and Education), AFET (Foreign Affairs) and ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs) welcomed the Czech's ministers, including Martin BAXA, Minister of Culture, Jan LIPAVSKY, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbynek STANJURA, Minister of Finance, and Vladimir BALAS, Minister of Education.

Presentation of the EU Council's priorities by Czech Ministers: extracts from the EP Committee meetings

Title: Presentation of the EU Council&apos;s priorities by Czech Ministers: extracts from the EP Committee meetings (CULT, AFET and ECON) (EBS)

SOUNDBITE (German), Sabine VERHEYEN (EPP, DE), Chair of CULT Committee, Minister, in the area of culture and education. We are facing an enormous challenge to make sure that our education system is resistant. And we also have to deal with challenges such as the hosting of refugees in our schools and universities.

SOUNDBITE (English), Vladimir BALAS, Czech Minister of Education, The Czech presidency has selected its priorities in the field of education, in line with those strengthening the European education area by 2025.

SOUNDBITE (English), Vladimir BALAS, Czech Minister of Education, Our aim is to contribute to improved, more effective and safer online education. Most of the member states have brought the e-education tools and have taught teachers how to use it. However, what is going to be the long term impact of e-education? How do children feel? What is the added value for them and what are they missing?

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Martin BAXA, Czech Minister of Culture, As regards our cultural heritage, our Presidency is organising a conference in Prague in November and will be looking for efficient tools to support ecosystems in cultural and creative industries. We will also discuss the issue of the European status of the artist. That is a very important topic. We should be looking at the benefits and also the possible limits of such a European status of the artist.

Irene TINAGLI (S&amp;D, IT), Chair of ECON Committee welcomes Zbynek STANJURA, Czech Minister of Finance (2 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Irene TINAGLI (S&amp;D, IT), Chair of ECON Committee, Your Presidency is starting with ongoing war in Ukraine and worsening global economic situation marked by high inflation and increasing fossil fuel prices, so it will be challenging times those that await us.

SOUNDBITE (Czech), Zbynek STANJURA, Czech Minister of Finance, We'll be discussing the problem of rapidly growing inflation, high energy prices, a possible food crisis and everything else that's in any way connected to the repercussions of the Russian war on our economy. As you know, due to this war, our prognosis of economic growth is being lowered as we speak and inflation is growing. We have one tool at our disposa,l which was adopted within the scope of recovery and increasing the resilience of our economy after the pandemic, that's the RRF. And I believe that it is our common goal to implement the RePower EU into this tool, because it's clear that we need to rid ourselves of our dependency on Russian fossil fuels.

Arrival of David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair of AFET Committee, and Jan LIPAVSKY, Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair of AFET Committee, Next item is an exchange of views with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Dear Jan Lipavsky, a warm welcome to our AFET Committee. Minister Lipavsky will present the priorities of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2022.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jan LIPAVSKY, Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Czech presidency is also ready to facilitate ongoing humanitarian assistance and the EU plan for post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. We are ready to be leaders on core organisation of the conference using our Presidency in support of Ukraine's reconstruction. And it needs to be emphasised that this reconstruction also needs to be linked to Ukraine's integration process. So we will rebuild Ukraine as a future member of the European Union, even though all criteria before the membership as such need to be fulfilled

Presentation of the EU Council's priorities by Czech Ministers: extracts from the EP Committee meetings

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Czech Presidency

CULT - Committee on Culture and Education

ECON - Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

AFET - Committee on Foreign Affairs