Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union and its Parliamentary Dimension Vytlačiť stránku / Print page

Address of the Speaker of the NC SR

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Citizens of Slovakia,

Today we stand on the threshold of one of the watershed moments in our country modern history. Now is the moment when we take over the European baton and for the first time ever preside over the Council of the European Union. The Slovak Republic has undergone during its era of modern history many significant milestones that have proven to us and to the world that we are able to make challenging and courageous decisions. We Slovaks are solid and responsible partners with a historical experience that shapes our worldview and national values. We have yet to bear on our shoulders this degree of global responsibility, especially relevant in today's difficult and dynamic period of world politics. For our Slovakia, for all of us, this is a huge challenge and responsibility; we are aware of this, and have been preparing for it thoroughly and dutifully for a long time. I believe that Slovakia will become a responsible and strong partner, as it has been always, leading the resolution of the most current, pressing European issues by its rational and pragmatic leadership.

We are fully aware that the privilege to preside over the Council of the EU predominantly brings with it the responsibility to implement the issues of the day in Europe – and throughout the entire world. It is also an opportunity to introduce a certain vision, even more so, given our parliamentary dimension. At the stomping grounds of the Slovak legislature, we would like to introduce our wider concept of the direction we would and should take; how and what we could and should discuss together with our citizens within Europe. Citizens must feel that their opinions and concerns matter – that their voices are heard, as we stand by them and their interests at the European level, and that we can listen, not just preach; that we, as countries, can listen to each other, too, responding readily, not belatedly.

The National Council of the Slovak Republic, in the framework of the parliamentary dimension of the Slovak Presidency, has prepared seven major - in terms of the contents, as well as the attendance - inter-parliamentary events. Several of these events, such as the Plenary Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of the Parliaments of the European Union, the Inter-parliamentary Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy, or the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the European Union, will be the biggest official events to be held during our presidency.

In 2016, the National Council of the Slovak Republic will organize the so-called small COSAC or the COSAC Chairs, the Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination, and Governance in the European Union and the Meeting of Chairpersons of the Economic Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union on the Energy Union. Given the fact that the Slovak Republic will preside over the Council of the EU during the second half of the calendar year, we are also entitled to host the annual presidency of the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the European Union; this implies an obligation to organize further events in 2017. Our parliamentary presidency will thus continue into the next year when we will become the organizer of the Meeting of Chancellery Heads of Parliaments of the European Union, and lastly of the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the European Union Member States.

The engine of our shared European success has always consisted of courage, determination, and responsibility. Today, the European Union, as a united community, is facing many challenges. Some of these, such as security, stability, common European legitimacy, or the social security of our citizens, will be undoubtedly included amongst the topics covered during our presidency. Slovakia does not want to stand aside the debate. We believe that it is in the vital interest of our common home - the European Union - to be honest and open with each other and our citizens. Responsibility and courage are - now, as well as they were in the past - the keys to solving the current challenges we face.

As the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, I believe that Slovakia will be successful in this, our historical role as the presiding country of the European Union. I am sure it is in our common interest to support and promote the European approach to life, to our proven values and rules, and thus jointly strengthen our identity. I am convinced that Slovakia will conduct our presidency responsibly and courageously.

 

Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union and its Parliamentary Dimension

The presidency of the Council of the European Union is one of the most important and most demanding tasks resulting from belonging to a community of 28 Member States.

For each presiding Member State it is an opportunity to influence and shape the agenda of the EU, contribute to the activities of the individual institutions and formations, but at the same time it is a commitment to lead discussions and mediate negotiations.

The Slovak Republic, together with the Kingdom of Netherlands and the Republic of Malta, starting on January 1. 2016 for 18 months, becomes a member of so called “Trio”. The Trio, based on the principle of rotation, ensures continuity and consistency in the work of the Council of the EU. The Trio defines a general agenda and implements a joint program, while each of its members, in a predetermined order, presides to the Council of the EU for a period of six months. Historically the first ever Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU will reign during the period of July 1 till December 31 2016.

In the spirit of the Lisbon Treaty, declaring the strengthening of the role of national parliaments in the decision-making processes of the EU, every Presidency of the Council of the EU encompasses a parliamentary dimension, in addition to the executive level, comprising meetings of representatives of national parliaments of 28 EU Member States, European Parliament and national parliaments of the candidate and partner countries of the EU.

Events organized by national parliaments during the Presidency of the Council of the EU represent a special forum for a discussion on current issues of EU sectoral policies, in accordance with the program priorities of a particular Member State.

Within this dimension, the National Council of the Slovak Republic will organize 7 inter-parliamentary conferences and meetings.

In 2016, the National Council of the Slovak Republic will host five events - the COSAC Chairs and the Plenary COSAC, the Inter-parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and for the Common Security and Defence Policy, the Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union and last but not least the Meeting of Chairpersons of Parliaments Committees regarding the energy union topic.

Given the fact that the Slovak Republic will hold the EU Presidency in the second half of the calendar year, it is also entitled, according to the current setup, to the annual Presidency of the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the EU. This fact implies the obligation to organize further events in 2017; i.e. Meeting of Secretaries-General of the EU Parliaments and The Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of the EU Countries.

The parliamentary dimension of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU presents yet another year-long commitment, the Slovak Presidency of the Governing Board of the EU Platform for Inter-parliamentary Information Exchange (IPEX), additionally obliging Slovakia to host several smaller events.

Aside from the above mentioned activities, the National Council of the Slovak Republic will welcome a number of bilateral visiting delegations from the heads of the European Parliament, individual Committees of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commission, and the Brussels COSAC secretariat.

The National Council of the Slovak Republic and the Chancellery of the National Council of the Slovak Republic conducted a number of substantial steps in the preparatory phase of the parliamentary dimension of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU:

  • On the side lines of the session of Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of EU in Rome, on 19 April 2015, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Kingdom of Netherlands, the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta signed the joint Declaration on cooperation in support of the preparation and fulfilment of the parliamentary dimension of the European Union Council Presidency for the period of 1 January 2016 - 30 June 2017
  • The European Affairs Committee of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, at its meeting on 6 October 2015, passed by a resolution topics recommended for the parliamentary dimension of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU; they should be addressing the energy Union, strengthening of the social dimension of the EU, transatlantic trade and investment partnership, globalization challenges, migration, social and participatory economics, as well as perspectives on development aid
  • Aiming to acquire valuable experience, advice, recommendations, and exchange of the know-how, several employees of the Chancellery of the National Council of the Slovak Republic went on study trips to parliaments of former Presidency States, national parliaments of states of the Presidency Trio and to the European Parliament, itself
  • On the premises of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, there were several expert seminars held on preparation itself, as well as the content, organizational and logistic aspects of the parliamentary dimension of the Council of the EU Presidency targeting members of the diplomatic corps, employees of governmental departments involved in the EU agenda, as well as representatives of the academia, in addition to employees of the Chancellery of the National Council of the Slovak Republic. Representatives of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, European Parliament and its administration, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic and representatives of parliaments of other EU Member States have all been amongst seminar speakers.

After twelve years of the EU membership, bringing a large number of benefits to the Slovak Republic, our country has a unique opportunity to actively contribute to forming of European decisions, precisely at a time when the Union faces a number of unprecedented challenges, both within the EU itself as well as the neighbourhood. Among others, it may be just the parliamentary sphere, providing platforms for cooperation, stimulating discussion and exchange of good practices between the representatives of national parliaments, that brings particular benefits and contributes to the discussion on further prospects of the joint European project.