Economy, energy and external relations will be top of the new presidency's agenda, writes Tony Barberin Brussels
FOLLOWING IN the footsteps of Nicolas Sarkozy, France's unorthodox and super-energetic president, would be a hard act for any country inheriting the European Union's six-month rotating presidency.
For the Czech Republic, which takes over on Thursday, the task is especially difficult, not least because the 27-nation EU is suffering from a financial crisis and economic recession more acute than anything in its 50-year history.
"Our agenda could be described as the three Es — economy, energy and external relations — but the financial crisis and its aftermath is such a strong topic that it is going to overshadow any of our national priorities," Mirek Topolanek, the Czech prime minister, said.
With 10.2 million people, or little more than 2 per cent of the EU's population, and per capita gross domestic product at 80 per cent of the EU average, the Czech Republic is under no illusions on its ability to make as big an impact as France did in the second half of 2008.
"I would like to have a very matter-of-fact presidency, very sober and, because of this, very effective. We shouldn't expend our strength on great shows," Karel Schwarzenberg, the foreign minister, said.
"We should be happy with getting things moving forward, be it a mile or just a few feet, so that when we come to the end no one will say, 'we wasted our time, there were no achievements'."
Such modesty and pragmatism may calm the nerves of other EU countries that see more than a few potential problems cropping up during the next six months.
One takes the form of President Vaclav Klaus, whose opinions on the euro, climate change and the EU's Lisbon institutional reform treaty range from quirky to hostile and put him far outside mainstream EU thinking.
As head of state, Mr Klaus enjoys only limited powers, and Mr Topolanek's government plans to restrict him to as few EU-related public appearances as possible.
Nonetheless, Mr Klaus has already shown a capacity to be disruptive in minor matters, by refusing to fly the blue-and-gold EU flag at Prague Castle and by playing enthusiastic host to Declan Ganley, one of the leading anti-Lisbon treaty campaigners. Mr Klaus has stated that, even if the Czech parliament approves Lisbon in the next few months, he will not sign it into law until it is clear whether the Irish will ratify it.
Another cause of concern is the weakness of Mr Topolanek's ruling coalition, which lacks a clear parliamentary majority and could in theory fall from power in the middle of its EU presidency.
Equally, the Czech Republic's non-euro zone status has raised doubts over its ability to lead discussions on EU economic and financial policy.
But this problem may prove less serious after it was agreed under Mr Sarkozy that Czech officials would attend euro zone meetings.
With the European parliament dissolving itself ahead of elections next June, the Czech government will of necessity concentrate on non-legislative issues such as foreign policy in the last few months of its EU term.
The keenly pro-US Czechs want to develop a strong EU relationship with Barack Obama, the incoming US president, and also to advance a new EU policy known as the "eastern partnership", whose aim is to build closer ties with the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Frans Timmermans, the Dutch minister for EU affairs, says the Czech EU presidency will probably go more smoothly than many predict.
"They're highly professional people. The team they've put in place is certainly qualified. Of course, they've had some 'national events' . . . but they've been listening to older and more experienced member states in a good way."
- (Financial Times)