Czech Republic replaces France as President of the Council of the European Union

July 1 () –

The Czech Republic has assumed this Friday the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after relieving France, which held the position since last January.

On the occasion of the new six-month presidency, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, will meet this Friday in the castle of the city of Litomysl, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and located 160 kilometers east of Prague, as explained by the Czech Government in a statement.

There, Von der Leyen will hold talks with the rest of the Executive and with representatives of the Congress and the Senate of the Czech Republic, with whom he will address the priorities of the Czech Presidency and different current issues that may influence the Council’s six-month leadership of the European Union, such as the war in Ukraine and its consequences.

The priorities of the Czech Presidency will be the management of the refugee crisis and Ukraine’s post-war recovery, energy security, strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities and cyberspace security, and the development and defense of the resilience of the European economy and democratic institutions.