Tasks of the Visegrad Group during the Polish presidency 2000/2001
Basic Assumptions
- V4 will continue to implement the programme of Visegrad Co-operation agreed by the Prime Ministers at the May 1999 Bratislava Summit
- priorities of V4 co-operation discussed and commonly accepted at the June 2000 Prague Summit of the Prime Ministers will be implemented
- guidelines for sectoral V4 co-operation set by the Prime Ministers and listed below will not limit ongoing contacts and co-operation of governmental agencies
Political Co-operation
Objectives
- promotion of the Visegrad Group's objectives (European and Euroatlantic integration) in the countries of the EU and NATO as well as within V4 countries
- support for the Slovak Republic's quest for NATO membership
- strengthening the identity of V4 as regional core of political and economic stability
- furthering co-operation with third countries
Means
- development of closer co-operation at intergovernmental, parliamentary and NGO level
- elaboration of joint V4 statements on European integration and regional issues, both at the level of Foreign Ministers and Prime Ministers and by representatives to international organizations like OSCE, Council of Europe, United Nations
- meetings and consultations of experts on security issues, European integration, regional issues and policy planning, including elaboration of common positions
- high level meetings in the "V4 plus 1" formula with representatives of EU member countries and the European Commission
- ad hoc meetings in the "V4 plus 1" formula with Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Croatia - if requested by partners and agreed by V4 or agreed by V4 and proposed to partners
High-level meetings schedule
- informal meeting of Prime Ministers (September-October 2000, Karlovy Vary)
- V4 summit meeting to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Visegrad Declaration (February 2001)
Sectoral Co-operation
- holding of consultations on EU's "third pillar" issues, including means of implementation of the Tampere decisions (ministries of justice and foreign affairs)
- exchange of experience and co-operation on the Schengen agreement (ministries of interior and foreign affairs): a Memorandum of Understanding reflecting a common position on the Schengen regime to be agreed at the Karlovy Vary informal meeting of the Prime Ministers
- continuing exchange of information on implementation of visa regimes (MFA consular departments)
- development of co-operation in the field of combating organized crime (ministries of interior)
- establishing of contacts aimed at furthering co-operation of military industries (ministries of defense, economic co-operation and foreign affairs)
- co-operation on transport, infrastructure and border crossings--supporting the development of transport routes connecting Northern and Southern Europe, elaborating joint projects (ministries of transport, ministries of interior)
- stimulating small and medium sized business to engage in the V4 area (ministries of economic co-operation)
- holding of meetings by heads of central banks and other financial institutions, including information exchange on currency policies in the context of Euro
- supporting the establishment of systems for monitoring and information exchange on transfrontier movement of waste (ministries of environment)
- co-operation on preparation and establishment of protected "landscape parks" in border regions (ministries of environment)
- co-operation in solving problems related to boundary waters and flood prevention (ministries of environment and interior)
- co-operation in the field of ensuring nuclear safety (ministries of environment)
- supporting the development of contacts between local governments and NGOs (competent ministries, International Visegrad Fund)
- promotion of cultural co-operation, research and education, sports and youth exchange (competent ministries, International Visegrad Fund)
- laying foundations for the creation of a Visegrad Prize to honour public personalities who have made efforts to promote co-operation between states of Central Europe (goverments)
Closing Remarks
- respective governmental and parliamentary agencies will be informed about the contents of this document by the national V4 co-ordinators (ministries of foreign affairs)
- they will be requested to inform V4 co-ordinators about V4 co-operation in the fields of their responsibility
- meetings of V4 co-ordinators will be held as appropriate
- a report on V4 co-operation during the Polish presidency will be prepared
