The second-ever Czech presidency of the EU Council took place in the second half of 2022, a period in which the EU was under considerable pressure following the Russian invasion in Ukraine. What many predicted would be another regular presidency, became half a year of crisis management. Writes Vít Havelka in his Policy Paper called: 2022 Czech Presidency: A Surprising Success.

Vít Havelka, Rebeka Hengalová, and Katarína Svitková prepared a background paper for the National Convention on the EU Round Table on the Review of the European Energy Market. How can the EC proposal for the revision of the European electricity market be assessed from the Czech Republic's perspective? How can the revision of the internal gas market rules be assessed in the context of the energy crisis? How should the EU prepare for the coming winter?

Germany and the European Commission resolve a dispute over internal combustion engines. Synthetic fuels get an exemption. However, the details of the new agreement have not yet been made public. Our researcher Vít Havelka tells TA3 what this means for motorists and the economy.

Our researcher Vít Havelka for Studio ČT24 evaluated the second day of the EU summit in Brussels. The most important topics were the consecration of the supply of ammunition to Ukraine financed by the European Union, as well as the discussion of the shape of the single market and the reaction to the American package to limit inflation.

The future of cars with exhausts is stirring Europe. That is why Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) went to Strasbourg to discuss the promotion of "realistic" rules. He is partly right. However, in the fight for synthetic fuels, which has been launched by the Germans, realism is clearly on the side of a proposal that has long been on the table. And whose future is now being threatened by Kupka and co. The commentary was written by our senior researcher Vít Havelka.

Our associate research fellow Zuzana Kasáková and our senior research fellow Vít Havelka prepared a recommendation resulting from the round table discussion of the National Convention on the EU held on February 24, 2023 on the topic "Evaluation of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU". The issued recommendations for the Czech Republic include, for example, the use of the positive result of the Czech presidency, its improved image, and contacts for formulating and promoting the long-term priorities of the Czech Republic in the European Union. Another recommendation is that the Czech Republic should ensure adequate security, both personnel and professional, for the awarding of public contracts for the future Czech presidency.

Our research associate Zuzana Kasáková and our senior researcher Vít Havelka prepared background material for the Round Table of the National Convention on the EU on the topic Evaluation of the Czech Presidency. Three main questions are put to the Round Table: How successful has the Czech Reublic been in implementing its Presidency priorities? How successful was the Czech Republik in carrying out its presidency in terms of organisation? Has the Czech Republic been successful in promoting its membership in the European Union?

At the turn of the year, Sweden took over the Presidency of the Council of the EU from the Czech Republic and will be responsible for leading the Union for the next six months. Although the Swedes have a reputation for being solid and liberal-minded partners, there are concerns about the great unknown because of the composition of their current government. For the first time in history, it is supported by the far-right Sweden Democrats. Our Senior Research Fellow Vít Havelka wrote this article for VOXPOT.

Vít Havelka wrote a policy paper in which he discusses the energy crisis that hit the EU right after the COVID-19 pandemic.On 24 February, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine and subsequently triggered a series of events that resulted in an energy crisis in the EU.

The negotiations in Brussels are led by Czech Minister Jozef Síkela. According to him, a plan is ready and he believes in an agreement. Government representatives will try to agree on a cap on gas prices. Our researcher Vít Havelka commented on this topic for ČT24.

The originally scheduled regular meeting between the governments of France and Germany was eventually postponed. Could this be a signal of some major differences in relations between the countries? What are the causes of the contradictions? Are they more personal or political? What impact could it have if Paris and Berlin fail to agree on their position on China? Our senior research fellow Vít Havelka commented on the situation between the countries in the programme Odpolední Plus for Czech Radio Plus.

Until a few years ago, Chinese cars were considered to be copies of European or American cars. Today, China is the largest automotive market, including in the electric car segment, and Chinese manufacturers want to establish themselves in Europe. Our research fellow Vít Havelka commented on this situation.