Paper of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek Topolánek on the subject "The Czech Republic – Member of the EU" given in Sweden on 17.

The Czech Republic has been a member of the EU only for three years. But history of European integration in my country is much elder. As far back as in the fifteenth century the George of Poděbrady,King of Bohemia sent out his messengers to win the other statesmen for the idea of peace cooperation. So, we are not such newcomers regarding the idea of integration of the continent, as it could be seemed.

Of course, my speech will be in particular on the European present. However, it is good to remind roots, hundred-year-old values from which the European integration can draw. After Gorge of Poděbrady, it was John Amos Comenius, a teacher of nations, in the 17th century, who integrated European countries through his life and his work.

Why do I say this? In times when the modern nationalism did not exist, the European values existed on which the European Union is based - ideas of human freedom, peace, common and only slightly regulated market.

As early as then there were no passports necessary and so Comenius could travel to Sweden. There were no barriers hampering a merchant of Venice to have his own firm in Prague. Yet, I would say that attitude to four principal freedoms: free movement of persons, goods, capital and services was more comfortable then than it is now for citizens of new member countries.

Thus I proceeded from the past to the present. If I remember the title of my today's paper "The Czech Republic – Member of the EU", I would like you to understand it as: a standard member with equal rights a duties as the other members have. And I believe that we will succeed in elimination of discrimination of new countries as soon as possible.

Apart from sharing the same values, membership in the EU is also an economic and political necessity. Necessity for a country of the Middle-European region, situating in a buffer zone between Germany and Russia, with pro-export economy, as more than 80% of our exports are directed at the common market of the EU. Accession of the Czech Republic to the EU on 1st May 2004 has been a strategic objective for us since restoration of freedom in our country and it has been supported by great majority of our citizens.

But we have never regard the 1st May 2004 as accomplishment of a final objective. On the contrary, we have been considering this date as a start, or rather as a new start. Following the accession to the EU we have become again co-creators of the European integration and we want to use this opportunity. The Czech Republic will preside over the Council of the EU in the first half of 2009. We regard this as a great challenge and we are preparing for this with full responsibility. We will be, together with Sweden, in so called "Presidential Three".

Therefore we would welcome Swedish experiences with preparation of the presidency. We know that for success of our presidency close cooperation with countries, which precede and follow us in the presidency, is necessary. We hope we will succeed in it together with France and Sweden.

I would like to thank here for existing initiatives of the Swedish side in connection with preparation of the Czech presidency. I mean for example the Swedish proposal for representation of the EU towards third countries and organizations in the sphere of justice and interior affairs not according to half-a-year-period key but according to territory key.

The Czech Republic chose a motto of its presidency: "Europe without Barriers". This motto has several symbolical aspects.

First, we want to contribute to elimination of economic-political barriers, to elimination of temporary measures in the sphere of free movement of workers. Their prolongation is not based on rational bases and our experiences lasting several years conform that workers of new member countries are not threat for labour market of old countries, on the contrary.

Second, we do not want the EU to build new barriers towards membership applicants. Each state that fulfils strict Copenhagen criteria – and we know how strict they are – must have a chance to access the EU. If it will not be so, the EU cease to fulfil its civilization mission, mission to enlarge space of freedom, peace, prosperity and security.

Therefore the Czech Republic fully supports confirmation of existing obligations of the EU towards countries in the "enlargement process". It concerns Croatia, Turkey and Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia – FYROM. We are in favour of further enlargement of the EU, in particular by countries of the West Balkan.

I am very glad that the Czech Republic will have a nice opportunity during its presidency to welcome Croatia among members of the EU. We must have differentiated attitudes towards the individual candidate countries, which would reflect their progress in reforms ("own merits principle"). And it is just a dream of membership in the EU, which is a driving force of reforms.

Third, we want to eliminate psychological barriers. We firmly hope that our presidency will contribute to Europe, which will be open, competitive, democratic, which will create common framework of our freedom, which will set basic rules for our cooperation.

Thus I am getting down to the existing debate on future institutional arrangement of the EU, which was initiated by German presidency. I very appreciate this initiative, as it is for the first time in the history, when we participate in such a debate since the very beginning as equal partners. We will be communicative and active participants in this debate.

It is not my objective in this short speech to define in detail our attitude to these talks; nevertheless, let me briefly mention basic starting points.

As an introduction I emphasize: We do not think that the Union faces an institutional crisis. In spite of the fact it has 27 members, all its organs – the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the EU operate and adopt decisions without problems. Therefore, it is not necessary to lay down quality of the institutional reform for quantity and to debate under pressure.

What Union do we want to have?

We want an equal Union with equal rights and duties. It means accomplishment of integration of the EU in the sense of four basic freedoms, as new countries have not still the same access to them as the old ones.

We want a transparent Union, non-bureaucratic Union, organizational structures and decision-making and legislative processes of which are transparent and controllable from the side of citizens and governments of member states.

We want the EU to be subsidiary. Union, which acts only in such cases, where it is not possible to achieve set objectives at the level of member states, regions or local governments.

We want the EU to be liberal. Liberal Union inside and outwards. Inside it is necessary to accomplish creating a common market through consistent respect of four basic freedoms. Outwards it is necessary to eliminate barriers of trade with third countries with impact on liberalization of trade relations, especially with developing countries.

We need to push through liberalization reforms. Majority of European countries redistribute about half of produced national product and thus creates debts and weaken economic growth. Common agriculture policy makes prices of foodstuff higher and draws money from our pockets. ; it is unjust towards new members of the EU and moreover, it crushes producers of the third world.

Furthermore, we want the EU to be open and stabilizing. Open Union, which is politically willing and institutionally prepared to adopt further states. I have already mentioned that possibility to become members of the EU is a motivating factor for candidate states. And do not let us forget stabilizing role of the EU towards its neighbour states, which do not have prospects of a full membership.

In conclusion I just briefly summarize what principles the Czech Republic will push through during oncoming negotiations on future institutional basis of the EU:

First: Member states must remain sovereign lords of the new treaty. Speed of negotiations on the framework of a treaty should not limit the quality.

Second: Negotiations will be based on the text of the Treaty on Constitution for Europe; nevertheless, the new treaty should be more synoptic, transparent, simpler and more readable than the existing text of the constitutional treaty.

Third: Content of the treaty must join member states and European nations, not to fractionate them.

Competences of the Union and member states should be unambiguously set and they should not worsen position of the Czech Republic and similar countries in comparison with the existing treaties of the EU.

Fourth: Control of national parliaments regarding observance of principles of subsidiarity and proportionality should be strengthened.

And finally fifth: The final treaty should enable further enlargement and it should define more clearly general access criteria.

I conclude my paper with citation of a great European, Jan Amos Comenius: "The only one teacher worth his salt is that one who inspires a spirit of free thinking and has feeling of personal responsibility." Freedom and responsibility – such Europe we wish.