Department 53 – European Union Affairs
The Department develops, implements and coordinates the Ministry's relations with the Council of the EU, including its preparatory bodies, and nationally with the EU Committee. It manages and coordinates methodically and systematically the preparation of the Ministry's representatives for meetings of the Council of Ministers of Finance and Economy (ECOFIN), including the preparation of COREPER, and the Ministry's preparation for meetings of the European Council and cooperation with the Ministries of Finance of other EU Member States and EU institutions. It systematically coordinates and methodically leads the Ministry's Sectoral Coordination Group and its subgroups. In the area of EU-related agendas, it acts as the main point of contact for the Office of the Government and the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU. Within the Ministry, it develops and methodically manages the implementation of the concept of secondment of civil servants to EU institutions. In the economic and financial field, it handles bilateral relations with EU Member States and the EU's relations with other countries. It participates in ensuring the Czech Republic's obligations within certain working groups of the EU Council under the responsibility of other ministries. It provides access to relevant databases for the EU agenda. It prepares the Czech Republic's positions on economic policy coordination and budgetary surveillance in the EU and participates in the preparation of related documents. It monitors and analyses key economic and financial trends in the EU and other countries with which the EU coordinates its positions, and selected EU structural policies. It monitors and analyses the functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union and the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact. It systematically coordinates the representation and ensures the preparation of the Czech Republic in the EFC and the alternates of the EFC, including its subcommittees, and in the EPC, including its working groups. It contributes to the provision of the Ministry's economic and financial policy outputs to the OECD. It provides conceptual guidance, methodological leadership and coordination in the preparation of the EU's multi annual financial framework and annual budget, with an emphasis on negotiating the terms and conditions for the EU's cohesion policy funding. It methodically manages and coordinates own resource contributions to the EU budget and acts as a coordinator of relations with the EU institutions. The Department analyses the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the EU with regard to the competence of the Ministry, proposes measures for the proper transposition of the acquis and is responsible for the proper protection of the interests of the Czech Republic within the competence of the Ministry vis-à-vis the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the EU. The Department ensures and systemically coordinates administrative and technical activities related to the harmonisation of legal regulations within the Ministry and ensures control of activities in the field of harmonisation of Czech law with EU law. The Department ensures relations resulting from the Ministry's membership in the Council of Europe, and participates in the preparation of selected legal documents concluded with foreign entities, including documents concluded within international organisations and institutions. The Department also cooperates in the preparation of other legal regulations under the responsibility of other departments of the Ministry or other central administrative authorities and ensures communication with the Office for the Protection of Competition.
Units
- Unit 5301 – Coordination of EU Agendas
- Unit 5302 – EU Economic and Financial Policies
- Unit 5303 – EU Budget
- Unit 5304 – European and International Law