Správa o priebehu a výsledkoch summitu predsedov vlád krajín Vyšehradskej štvorky (Kroměříž, 12. mája 2004)

I. Úvod

Na základe pozvania predsedu vlády ČR Vladimíra Špidlu sa 12. mája 2004 v Kromĕříži uskutočnil summit predsedov vlád krajín Vyšehradskej štvorky. Summit predsedov vlád V4 sa konal pri príležitosti ukončenia predsedníctva ČR v tomto zoskupení a bol historicky prvým po vstupe krajín V4 do EÚ. Podujatia sa osobne zúčastnili všetci premiéri  krajín V4: Vladimír Špidla, Péter Medgyessy, Marek Belka a Mikuláš Dzurinda. 

	Na stretnutí bola slávnostne podpísaná nová Vyšehradská deklarácia, ktorá reflektuje uplynulé roky spolupráce a zároveň deklaruje záujem na ďalšej spolupráci v tomto formáte aj po vstupe do EÚ.

II. Obsah plenárneho rokovania:

Plenárne rokovania sa koncentrovalo na nasledovné témy:
-	Predsedníctvo ČR vo V4,
-	Prijatie Novej Vyšehradskej deklarácie,
-	Medzinárodný vyšehradský fond, 
-	Spolupráca V4 v oblasti SZBP, 
-	Nová finančná perspektíva EÚ pre roky 2007 – 2013,
-	Medzivládna konferencia EÚ.

1. Predsedníctvo ČR vo V4 (júl 2003 – jún 2004)

Predsedovia vlád V4 zhodne ocenili predsedníctvo ČR vo V4. Hlavným mottom českého predsedníctva vo V4 bola „Kontinuita a budúcnosť“. ČR sa v rámci svojho predsedníctva zamerala na rozvoj konkrétnej spolupráce v regionálnej a európskej agende.
Podarilo sa pozitívne rozvinúť spoluprácu v oblasti implementácie Schengenského acquis vytvorením expertných skupín ministerstiev vnútra krajín V4.
V4 naďalej ostáva otvorenou k spolupráci s ostatnými krajinami vo formáte V4 + 1. Počas českého predsedníctva sa posilnil dialóg s Rakúskom a na pracovnej úrovni boli nadviazané kontakty s Japonskom.
České predsedníctvo pokračovalo aj v budovaní kontaktov V4 s ostatnými regionálnymi zoskupeniami. Prítomní ocenili stretnutie premiérov vo formáte V4 plus Benelux v Bruseli (25.3.2004) v predvečer zasadnutia Európskej rady.
Predsedovia vlád konštatovali, že počas uplynulého obdobia v rámci spolupráce so Severskou radou ministrov dospela V4 ku konkrétnym výsledkom.      

České predsedníctvo venovalo zvýšenú pozornosť aj európskej agende. Uskutočnilo sa viacero stretnutí predsedov vlád, ktoré boli venované tejto tematike: mimoriadne stretnutia premiérov v Dobříši (1.10.2003), Kolodějoch (8.3.2004) a stretnutie predsedov vlád vo Varšave (21.11.2003) na okraj zasadnutia Stredoeurópskej iniciatívy. Na stretnutí vo Varšave sa podarilo dohodnúť koordináciu obsadzovania určitých postov v európskych inštitúciách. Konkrétnym výsledkom takejto koordinácie je dohoda o obsadení postu viceguvernéra EBOR a následnej rotácii obsadzovania tohto postu medzi krajinami V4. 
Premiéri zhodne ocenili prácu českého predsedníctva vo V4 a bez pripomienok schválili Výročnú správu o činnosti V4 počas predsedníctva ČR.
Od júla tohto roku preberá predsedníctvo v zoskupení Poľská republika. 

2. Prijatie novej Vyšehradskej deklarácie

Premiéri odsúhlasili a následne slávnostne podpísali Deklaráciu o spolupráci krajín Vyšehradskej skupiny po ich vstupe do EÚ. Deklarácia konštatuje, že hlavné ciele pôvodnej deklarácie z roku 1991  (integrácia do EÚ a NATO) boli naplnené. Zároveň potvrdzuje vôľu pokračovať vo vyšehradskej spolupráci, pre ktorú sa v podmienkach členstva v EÚ otvárajú nové príležitosti. Vytyčuje v tomto smere základné zámery a oblasti na regionálnej a európskej úrovni. Konkrétne oblasti tejto spolupráce,  ako aj jej zásady a mechanizmy sú podrobnejšie rozvedené v „Hlavných smeroch“ (guidelines“), ktoré sú prílohou deklarácie.
        
3. Medzinárodný vyšehradský fond (MVF)

Premiéri V4 rozhodli o navŕšení finančných príspevkov do Medzinárodného vyšehradského fondu (MVF) zo 600 000 eur. na 750 000 eur. ročne za jednu krajinu. Od roku 2005 bude mať teda Medzinárodný vyšehradský fond k dispozícii v rozpočte celkovú sumu 3 mil. eur.
Návrh na navŕšenie finančných prostriedkov na administratívne výdavky  fondu zo 7 na 9,5% však nebol jednoznačne prijatý. Česká strana odôvodnila navŕšenie finančných výdavkov dodatočnými nákladmi, ktoré vznikli nástupom nového nerezidentného riaditeľa MVF, ako aj postupným obnovovaním administratívnej techniky fondu.
Premiéri sa napokon dohodli na kompromise, podľa ktorého sa administratívne výdavky môžu pohybovať v intervale 7 – 9,5%.
Premiéri politicky podporili na expertnej úrovni prebiehajúci proces novelizácie Dohody o zriadení MVF, ktorého zmyslom je prispôsobenie pravidiel MVF na podmienky členstva vyšehradských krajín v EÚ, predovšetkým čo sa týka grantových predpisov.
Z iniciatívy predsedu vlády SR M. Dzurindu premiéri odsúhlasili návrh ministrov kultúry krajín V4 na zriadenie Vyšehradskej ceny, ako aj jej prvé udelenie už v r. 2004 s tým, že náklady s tým spojené budú uhradené z prostriedkov MVF.
  
4. Spolupráca V4 v oblasti Spoločnej zahraničnej a bezpečnostnej politiky EÚ (SZBP) EÚ
                 
Predsedovia vlád V4 vyjadrili záujem na užšej spolupráci v rámci Spoločnej zahraničnej a bezpečnostnej politiky EÚ. V tejto súvislosti prezentovali záujem na zintenzívnení spolupráce s východnými susedmi (Ukrajina, Bielorusko). Za možný spoločný záujem ich aktivít označili i oblasť Západného Balkánu. Predseda vlády SR M. Dzurinda za možnú agendu spolupráce označil i posilňovanie transatlantických väzieb.
           Bolo konštatované, že stabilita a prosperita týchto krajín je v záujme V4, pretože v opačnom prípade budú aj krajiny V4 vystavené migračnému tlaku obyvateľstva z východu. Najmä poľský premiér M. Belka poukázal na potrebu užšej spolupráce s Ukrajinou a Bieloruskom. Belka konštatoval, že PR sa zasadzuje za to, aby sa Ukrajina v rozumnom časovom horizonte stala pridruženou krajinou EÚ a aby sa vytvorila zóna voľného obchodu medzi Ukrajinou a EÚ. Problémom v tejto súvislosti ostáva skutočnosť, že Ukrajina, na rozdiel od RF, nemá priznaný štatút trhovej ekonomiky. 
           Poľský premiér konštatoval, že EÚ by mala vyslať politický signál voči Bielorusku. Uvedený signál by mohol byť povzbudivý a motivujúci pre politické reformy v tejto krajne. 

5. Nová finančná perspektíva EÚ pre roky 2007 – 2013 

            Český premiér konštatoval, že návrh Novej finančnej perspektívy EÚ pre roky 2007-2013, vypracovaný Európskou komisiou, je vyváženým dokumentom. Premiéri sa zhodli na tom, že v otázke NFP majú vyšehradské krajiny spoločné záujmy, čo vytvára priaznivé podmienky pre spoluprácu v tejto agende. Dohodli na tom, že experti V4 by sa mali stretnúť v dohľadnej dobe (na začiatku holandského predsedníctva v EÚ) na tému Novej finančnej perspektívy EÚ pre roky 2007 – 2013 a takisto na tému Lisabonskej stratégie, ktorej cieľom je urobiť z Európy najkonkurencieschopnejšiu ekonomiku na svete. Zhodne konštatovali, že je potrebné dodržať časový harmonogram pre prípravu Novej finančnej perspektívy. Existuje spoločný záujem  krajín V4, aby sa v rámci Novej finančnej perspektívy do maximálne možnej miery uplatnili prvky kohéznej politiky. V. Špidla konštatoval, že Lisabonská stratégia, ktorá má za cieľ urobiť z Európy najkonkurencieschopnejšiu ekonomiku na svete, je v rozpore s kohéznou politikou EÚ. Parametre pre Lisabonskú stratégiu sú nastavené tak, že podporujú rozvoj najrozvinutejších krajín EÚ, čím by sa rozdiely medzi jednotlivými štátmi EÚ ešte viac prehĺbili, čo je v priamom rozpore s deklarovaným záujmom o budovanie kohézie v rámci EÚ. 
              Podľa maďarského premiéra P. Medgyessyho treba byť realistický v súvislosti s očakávaním od Novej finančnej perspektívy EÚ. Je potrebné zobrať do úvahy súčasnú ekonomickú recesiu v západnej Európe a nemať prehnané očakávania. Podľa Medgyessyho by sa celá situácia ohľadne rozpočtu mohla  následne posúdiť okolo roku 2010, keď odznejú negatívne vplyvy ekonomickej recesie. 

6. Medzivládna konferencia EÚ

Česká strana informovala, že disponuje informáciami z diplomatických zdrojov, na základe ktorých by ratifikácia Ústavnej zmluvy EÚ mohla predstavovať problém v Dánsku, vo Švédsku a v jednej z pobaltských krajín. V prípade, ak by nebola Ústavná zmluva ratifikovaná v troch členských krajinách, tak hrozí reálne riziko vzniku dvojrýchlostnej Európy, čo je najmenej želateľný variant pre nové členské krajiny EÚ. 
PR zvažuje spôsob ratifikácie Ústavnej zmluvy. Nedá sa vylúčiť ani ratifikácia prostredníctvom referenda, ale iba v prípade, ak by sa referendum spojilo s prezidentskými voľbami, aby bola na ňom zabezpečená dostatočná účasť.  
V. Špidla nekonkretizoval spôsob ratifikácie Ústavnej zmluvy, ale na základe vyjadrenia jeho poradcov sa kvôli vnútropolitickej situácii (politika tzv. nulovej tolerancie zo strany ODS) jednoznačne prikláňa k ratifikácii referendom.

III. Závery z rokovania:

•	Premiéri ocenili prácu českého predsedníctva vo V4 a bez pripomienok prijali Správu o činnosti českého predsedníctva vo V4.

•	Na summite bola slávnostne podpísaná nová Vyšehradská deklarácia, ktorá reflektuje uplynulé roky spolupráce a zároveň deklaruje záujem na ďalšej spolupráci v tomto formáte aj po vstupe krajín V4 do EÚ.

•	Premiéri V4 na základe návrhu ČR rozhodli o navŕšení finančných príspevkov do Medzinárodného vyšehradského fondu (MVF) zo 600 000 eur. na 750 000 eur. ročne za jednu krajinu.

•	Predsedovia vlád V4 vyjadrili záujem na užšej spolupráci v rámci Spoločnej zahraničnej a bezpečnostnej politiky EÚ. V tejto súvislosti vyjadrili spoločný záujem na zintenzívnení spolupráce s východnými susedmi (Ukrajina, Bielorusko) a oblasť Západného Balkánu označili za možný spoločný záujem ich aktivít. 

•	Predsedovia vlád V4 sa dohodli na tom, že experti V4 sa stretnú na začiatku holandského predsedníctva v EÚ a prediskutujú problematiku Novej finančnej perspektívy EÚ pre roky 2007 – 2013. Zhodne konštatovali, že je potrebné dodržať časový harmonogram pre prípravu Novej finančnej perspektívy. 

•	Summit v Kroměříži ukončil české predsedníctvo vo V4. Od 1. júla 2004 bude zoskupeniu predsedať po dobu jedného roku Poľská republika. 

•	Summit V4 bol prvým po vstupe  vyšehradských krajín do EÚ. Rokovania premiérov potvrdili význam a zmysel vyšehradskej spolupráce i v nových podmienkach a zdôraznili politickú vôľu v nej i naďalej pokračovať. 

IV. Prílohy:

Prijaté predsedami vlád V4 na summite v Kroměříži: Deklarácia, Výročná správa ako aj aktualizované tézy V4 tzv. „guidelines“ tvoria prílohu materiálu.   

Príloha č.1: Deklarácia predsedov vlád ČR, MR, PR a SR o spolupráci Vyšehradskej                   štvorky po vstupe do EÚ, 
Príloha č.2: Oblasti budúcej spolupráce vo Vyšehradskej skupine tzv. „Guidelines“, 
Príloha č.3: Výročná správa o aktivitách V4 počas predsedníctva ČR vo V4. 

									Príloha č. 1 

Declaration of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic
on cooperation of the Visegrád Group countries
after their accession to the European Union

The Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic, assembled on 12 May 2004 in Kroměříž, state with full satisfaction that the key objectives set in the 1991 Visegrád Declaration have been achieved and declare their determination to continue developing the cooperation of the Visegrád Group countries as Member States of the European Union and NATO.  

The Visegrád Group countries regard their accession to the European Union and NATO as a significant step towards the reunification of Europe and as a historic milestone on the path of their democratic transformation, integration efforts and mutual cooperation. The integration of the Visegrád Group countries into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures opens up new opportunities and poses new challenges for their further cooperation on the issues of common interest.     

The cooperation of the Visegrád Group countries will continue to focus on regional activities and initiatives aimed at strengthening the identity of the Central European region. In this context, their cooperation will be based on concrete projects and will maintain its flexible and open character. 

The Visegrád Group countries are strongly determined to jointly contributing to the fulfilment of the European Union´s common goals and objectives and to the successful continuation of the European integration. They reiterate their commitment to the enlargement process of the European Union. They are ready to assist countries aspiring for EU membership by sharing and transmitting their knowledge and experience. The Visegrád Group countries are also ready to use their unique regional and historical experience and to contribute to shaping and implementing the European Union´s policies towards the countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

The Visegrád Group countries are committed to closely cooperating with their nearest partners in the Central European region. They are also ready to cooperate in specific areas of common interest with countries within the wider region, with other regional groupings in Europe as well as with third countries and international organizations. 

The Prime Ministers of the Visegrád Group countries express their deep conviction that further cooperation between their countries, rooted in centuries of interlinked history and based on similar political, economic and social developments in the past decades, will enrich the community of European nations and contribute to the building of a reunited, democratic and prosperous Europe.

H.E. Mr. Vladimir Špidla	H.E. Mr. Peter Medgyessy
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic	Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary
H.E. Mr. Marek Belka	H.E. Mr. Mikulaš Dzurinda
Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland         Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic

Príloha č. 2

Guidelines on the future areas of Visegrad co-operation

Having in mind the common interest of all participating countries presented in the Declaration in Kroměříž on 12 May 2004, future cooperation will be developed particularly in the following areas: 

Co-operation within the V4 area
	
-	Culture 
-	Education, youth exchange, science
-	Continuation of the strengthening of the civic dimension of the Visegrad co-operation within the International Visegrad Fund and its structures  
-	Cross-border co-operation
-	Infrastructure
-	Environment
-	Fight against terrorism, organised crime and illegal migration
-	Schengen co-operation
-	Disaster management
-	Exchange of views on possible co-operation in the field of labour and social policy
-	Exchange of experiences on foreign development assistance policy
-	Defence and arms industries

Co-operation within the EU
	
-	Consultations and co-operation on current issues of common interest, 
-	Active contribution to the development of the CFSP, including the “Wider Europe – Neighbourhood” policy and the EU strategy towards Western Balkans,
-	Consultations, co-operation and exchange of experience in the area of Justice and Home Affairs, Schengen co-operation, including protection and management of the EU external borders,
-	Creating new possibilities and forms of economic co-operation within the European Economic Area,
-	Consultations on national preparations for joining the EMU,
-	Active participation in the development of the ESDP, as a contribution to the strengthening of relations between the EU and NATO and deepening of substantive dialogue between both organisations.

Co-operation with other partners
          
-          Co-operation with interested Central European countries, 
-	Co-operation with EU and NATO candidate and aspiring countries in support of reforms essential for their European and Euroatlantic perspective,
-	Collaboration in effective implementation of programmes of co-operation of these countries with the EU and NATO,
-	Co-operation with other regional structures. 
-	Collaboration with other interested countries and organisations.

Co-operation within NATO and other international organisations 
   				
-	Consultations and co-operation in the framework of NATO and on its defence capabilities,
-	Commitment to strengthening of transatlantic solidarity and cohesion,
-	Co-operation on the basis of the V4 experience to promote a common understanding of security among the countries aspiring to European and Euroatlantic institutions,
-	Enhanced co-operation within the international community in the fields of new security challenges, with a special emphasis on combating international terrorism,
-	Consultation and co-operation within the OSCE on issues of common concern for V4 countries; possible joint initiatives,
-	Consultation, co-operation and exchange of information in international organisations (UN, Council of Europe, OECD, etc.); consideration of possible joint initiatives,
-	Possible mutual support of candidacies in international organisations and bodies.

Mechanisms of co-operation  
			
- Governmental co-operation: 

•	Rotating one-year presidency, each chairmanship prepares its own presidency programme ensuring, among others, continuity of a long-term V4 co-operation,
•	One official Prime Ministers summit a year at the end of each presidency, 
•	Occasional informal meetings of Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers before international events,
•	Deputy foreign ministers meetings preceding the PM official summits,
•	Meetings of other ministers in V4 and V4+ format,
•	Intensified communication of V4 national co-ordinators and their key role in internal and inter-state co-ordination,
•	Consultation and co-operation of Permanent Representations to the EU and NATO in Brussels, as well as in all relevant fora (OSCE, UN, CoE, OECD, WTO, etc.).
•	International Visegrad Fund and its structures.

- Meetings of Presidents of V4 countries

- Co-operation of Parliaments of V4 countries

Príloha č. 3

Report on Activities of the Czech Presidency of the Visegrád Group, 
June 2003 to May 2004
This year’s accession of the Czech Republic, Hungarian Republic, Polish Republic and Slovak Republic to the EU and NATO crowned with success their integration ambitions. It fulfilled for the great part the intentions that led in 1991 the highest representatives of the former Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland to sign the Visegrád Declaration, which bound these countries to cooperation in overcoming their common problems of the past.
The fulfilment of the intentions set out in the Visegrád Declaration put the participating countries before the question of how to go on. Since the discussions of the future of the Visegrád Group clearly showed that all its members had an interest in preserving cooperation, they proceeded to address the issue of the future direction of the Visegrád Group in the new conditions, influenced the first of all by their membership of the European Union. 
The Czech Presidency therefore concentrated on defining new fields for cooperation and on reviewing the benefits of existing cooperation. “Continuity” and “Future” became two key concepts determining the character of the Czech Presidency. “Continuity” was seen as the intention to continue the use and development of the existing network of contacts as well as putting into practice concrete projects, both in the individual sectors of state administration and at the civic level. “Future” expressed the intent to finish the ongoing debate on the future form of Visegrád cooperation and to prepare a new Visegrád document defining new goals for the V4 within the European Union before the end of the Czech Presidency. 
We succeeded in fulfilling both key mottos of our Presidency. Practical inter-ministerial activities continued in various areas, ranging from culture, education and youth exchange to the environment, internal security, transport and regional (cross-border) cooperation. 
We also succeeded in promoting cooperation in the area designated by the Prime Minister Vladimír Špidla at last summit in Tále, Slovakia (24-25/06 2003), as one of the top priorities of the Czech Presidency – Schengen cooperation. The Ministries of the Interior set up several expert groups, which regularly discuss relevant issues and we expect their activities to continue under the forthcoming Polish Presidency. 
The activities of the International Visegrád Fund in support of contacts between citizens of our countries were also successful. In autumn 2003 the first Visegrád scholarships to postgraduate students from V4 countries were granted and a programme for granting Visegrád scholarships to students from countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe was completed. The Fund began to adapt to the new conditions of functioning in the EU, and  the process should be completed by the end of this year.
As regards the future, during the Czech Presidency, the V4 countries worked hard on the final phase of preparations for their accession to the EU and actively participated in discussions about the future of the EU. The period of the Czech Presidency was in this context fulfilled by a number of consultations and exchange of opinions on various levels. The discussion on the future of the V4 in the new conditions of membership of the Visegrád countries in NATO and in the EU was also successful. The outcome of this discussion is a draft of a new programme document, a new Visegrád Declaration, which should be approved by the Prime Ministers at the summit in Kroměříž. 
POLITICAL COOPERATION
•	A number of important political meetings of executive and legislative bodies took place in the Visegrád format. 
•	Prime Ministers of the V4 countries defined at their last official summit in Tále in June 2003 as one of the main tasks of Visegrád cooperation for the forthcoming period an intensive exchange of opinions in the last phase of preparations for accession of the Visegrád countries to the European Union. This agenda became the main focus of a number of meetings, on the level of Prime Ministers, State Secretaries and relevant experts. Although a consensus was not always reached, these meetings contributed to an open exchange of opinions at important moments of negotiations with the European Union. Several consultative meetings took place also in the extended format V4+. 
Major events
19/09/2003	Prague	Meeting of the V4 State Secretaries;	
1/10/2003	Dobříš	Special summit of the V4 Prime Ministers;	
16/10/2003	Brussels	Meeting of State Secretaries of the V4 and Benelux;	
20/10/2003	London	Consultations of State Secretaries of the V4 and United Kingdom;	
21/11/2003	Warsaw	Meeting of Prime Ministers of the V4 in the margin of the CEI summit; 	
9/01/2004	Dublin	Meeting of heads of EU Sections of Foreign Ministries of the V4 countries;	
15-16/01/2004	Prague	Consultations of State Secretaries of the V4;	
8/03/2004	Koloděje	Special summit of Prime Ministers of the V4;	
25/03/2004	Brussels	Summit of Prime Ministers of the V4 and Benelux countries before the session of the European Council;	
28/04/2004	Prague	Meeting of heads of EU Sections of Foreign Ministries of the V4 countries.	

•	European topics were also on the agenda of traditional meetings of the presidents of the Visegrád countries. The presidents agreed in their more general discussions that if Visegrád cooperation is to preserve its importance, it must be supported by concrete projects of real importance to all the participating countries.   
Major events
3/11/2003	Budapest	Summit of the V4 presidents;	
11-12/03/2004	Košice	Summit of the V4 presidents.	

•	Representatives of parliaments continued their regular meetings too. The meetings of parliament speakers and representatives of some parliamentary committees were dominated by the issue of accession of the Visegrád countries to the European Union.
Major events
9-10/10/2003	Prague	Meeting of chairmen of foreign, integration and security committees;	
1-2/02/2004	Bratislava	Meeting of chairmen of foreign and integration committees.	

•	Concerning other foreign policy questions, regular meetings of experts from Foreign Ministries continued under the Czech Presidency. Heads of analytical and planning departments discussed the future of regional cooperation in Central Europe, political directors possibilities of Visegrád cooperation in Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union (New Neighbourhood Policy). 

Informal consultations of representatives of V4 countries to OSCE also continued. Very intensive are contacts of experts on OECD questions. On the regular basis are by the experts of V4 countries discussed also consular matters, such as visa requirements.
Major events
16/01/2004	Bratislava	Meeting of directors of consular departments;	
22/01/2004	Štiřín	Consultations of national Visegrád coordinators and directors of departments for analyses and planning;	
18/03/2004	Prague	Meeting of the OECD coordinators from the V4 countries;	
18/03/.2004	Vienna	Consultations of CEI national coordinators from the V4 countries;	
28/04/2004	Luxembourg	Meeting of political directors on the issue of CFSP (in the margin of GAERC).	

•	The Visegrád countries are still interested in promoting cooperation with other regional groupings or countries that express their interest in this. During the discussions of the future of the V4 working contacts were established with the structures of the Nordic Council of Ministers and Benelux, from whom the Visegrád countries drew inspiration in questions concerning the functioning of regional cooperation within the European Union. An interesting discussion was developed about the possibilities of cooperation between the Visegrád countries and Japan. The Visegrád Group also welcomed the declared interest of the Ukraine in cooperation, but for the moment it has not yet achieved in relation to the Ukraine a practical level of cooperation.
Major events
10/12/2003	Copenhagen	Meeting of the national Visegrád coordinators with the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Per Unckel;	
23/01/2004	Prague	Meeting of the national Visegrád coordinators with the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Per Unckel;	
23/03/2004	Brussels	Meeting of the national Visegrád coordinators with the Secretary General of Benelux, B.M.J. Hennekam;	
26/03/2004	Bratislava	Meeting of the national Visegrád coordinators with a representative of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, A. Imamura;	

SECTORIAL COOPERATION
•	Apart from political meetings, the core of Visegrád cooperation currently consists in joint projects in the area of culture, the environment, internal security, defence, science and education. Cooperation is also being promoted in the area of justice, transport, tourism and energetics. These projects are carried out through inter-ministerial cooperation (meetings of ministers and ministerial experts) and also with support from the International Visegrád Fund. 
Major events
27/06/2003	Krakow	Meeting of Ministers of Defence (another meeting of ministers is being prepared for 24.5.2004 at Komorní Hrádek);	
11/09/2003	Prague	Meeting of Ministers of the Interior;	
22-24/09/2003	Bakonybel	Meeting of experts from Ministries of Justice;	
28-30/09/2003	Hungary	Meeting of directors of border guards;	
16-18/09 2003	Chicago	Joint presentation of the V4 countries at the IMTE ( tourism fair);	
2-3/10/2003	Čejkovice	Meeting of Ministers of the Environment;	
29-30/10/2003	Mojmírovice	Meeting of Ministers of Justice;	
13-14/11/2003	Olomouc	Meeting of Ministers of Culture;	
4 – 5/12/2003	Tatranská Lomnica	Meeting of experts from Ministries of Finance to discuss the national funds;	
4-5/12/2003	Bratislava	Meeting of Deputy Ministers of the Interior (public administration);	
12-13/01/2004	Budapest		Meeting of working group for internal and external borders (Ministries of the Interior, police);	
January  2004	Budapest	Meeting of working group for energy (Ministries of Industry);	
February 2004	Brno	Preparation of Project EDS – Visegrád: Exchange of Experiences and Development in Special Needs in the V4“ (Ministries of Education);	
5-6/02/2004	Čejkovice	Meeting of Ministers of Transport;	
25/02/2004	Prague	Working group of border services (Ministries of the Interior, police);	
25-26/02/2004	Prague	Meeting of working group for combating extremism (Ministries of the Interior of the V4 countries and Austria);	
2/03/2004	Brno	Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture;	
5/03/2004	Marianské Lázně	Meeting of Ministers for Regional Development;	
8-10/03/2004	Prague	Meeting of Expert group for educational systems in public administration (Ministries of the Interior);	
18-19/03/2004	Prague	Meeting of Expert Group for modernization of public administration (Ministries of the Interior);	
25/03/2004	Měřín	Meeting of political directors of Defence Ministries;	
31/03/2004	Prague	Meeting of Expert group for computerization of public administration (Ministries of the Interior);	
14-16/04/2004	Krakow	Meeting of Ministers of Culture;	
15-16/04/2004	Prague	Meetings of experts of Ministries of Finance to discuss the national funds;	
22-23/04/2004	Röjtökmuzsaj		Meeting of Ministers for Regional Development.	
 
•	Within the framework of sectorial cooperation, the Czech Republic put much emphasis on Schengen cooperation. Experts from the V4 countries began to deal with this issue with much intensity. In September 2003 ministers of the interior V4 agreed on deeper cooperation within the framework of the V4, a V4 working group for Schengen cooperation began its activities. It comprises two subgroups: Expert Group for SIS II and Expert Group for implementation of the Dublin acquis.   
Major events
11/09/2003	Prague	Meeting of Ministers of the Interior;	
21/10/2003	Prague	Meeting of Deputy Ministers of the Interior (Working Group for Schengen cooperation);	
3/02/2004	Prague	Meeting of Deputy Ministers of the Interior (Working Group for Schengen cooperation);	
12-13/02/2004	Prague	Meeting of Expert Group for SIS II;	
2/04/2004	Prague	Meeting of Expert Group for implementation of the Dublin acquis;	
14/04/2004	Prague	Meeting of Deputy Ministers of the Interior (Working Group for Schengen cooperation).	

THE CIVIC DIMENSION 
•	Another long-term task that the Visegrád countries continued actively to fulfil is strengthening of personal links between citizens, by supporting inter alia cross-border cooperation and the activities of the International Visegrád Fund. Seeing the big interest in the grants provided by this Fund the Czech Republic proposed within the framework of its Presidency an increase in the resources available to the Fund to the sum of EUR 3,000,000. 
•	An expert meeting was held to discuss changes necessary in the Statute of the IVF and its adaptation to the new conditions in the EU. We hope this process will be completed as soon as possible. 
•	The International Visegrád Fund, apart from supporting selected projects, extended since the academic year 2003/2004 its activities with the grant of Visegrád scholarships. Scholarships are granted to postgraduate students in Visegrád countries (intra-Visegrád scholarships for study at universities in V4 countries, out-going scholarships for study at universities outside the region, especially in western Europe). 
From the next academic year (2004/2005) university graduates from countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe will receive postgraduate Visegrád scholarships too. These so called in-coming scholarships should allow young people, for example from the Ukraine or Belarus, to study in V4 countries and later bring their experiences back home to resolve problems of the sort that the V4 countries were forced to resolve in the last few years.

THE FUTURE OF THE VISEGRAD GROUP
•	During the Czech Presidency work on the new programme document, which reflects the changed situation of the Visegrád countries after their accession to the European Union, was crowned with success. It develops the favourite themes of the cooperation to date and offers new perspective topics.
•	All the participating countries declared in 2002 their political will to follow up on the positive results of the hitherto cooperation and to define objectives and mechanisms reflecting the new conditions. The premiers of the V4 countries decided at an informal summit in Slovakia (Červený Kameň, Smolenice, 06-07/12 2002) to launch an expert discussion of the new form of the V4. 
•	The outcome of the expert discussions supplemented with political consultations, were Guidelines on the Future of Visegrád Cooperation. This working document, approved by the premiers of the V4 countries at the summit in Tále describes briefly the possible future focus of Visegrád cooperation and its mechanisms.  
•	Based on the Prime Ministers´ instructions, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs prepared during the Czech Presidency of the V4 a general political declaration which follows up on the original Visegrád Declaration of 1991 and whose main goal is to determine the future directions for Visegrád cooperation in the conditions of membership of the V4 countries in the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance. This new Visegrád Declaration was prepared for approval by the Prime Ministers of the V4 countries at the official summit in Kroměříž on 12 May 2004.
•	The new Visegrád Declaration states in the preamble that all the intents set out in the original Declaration of 1991 were achieved and all the V4 countries are ready to continue their cooperation after their accession to NATO and the EU, which poses new challenges and at the same time opens new opportunities for their cooperation.
	The following text of the Declaration in the spirit of the working document “Guidelines on the Future of Visegrád Cooperation”, approved by the Prime Ministers at last official summit in Tále, reflects the basic areas of Visegrád cooperation:
-	Practical regional cooperation within the V4 area; 
-	Cooperation in the fulfilment of the objectives of the EU and continuation of the integration process, readiness to share with the countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe experience of the integration process;
-	Cooperation with other partners, regional groupings and international organizations. 
In conclusion the Visegrád countries declare their readiness to participate in the building of a reunited, democratic and prosperous Europe. 
The updated Guidelines describing in more detail the individual areas of future Visegrád cooperation should be annexed to the new declaration. 
The Guidelines define the mechanisms of the V4. The foundation is still intergovernmental cooperation, both on the level of premiers and ministries. The rotating one-year Presidency with regular summits of Prime Ministers at the end of each Presidency will be preserved. Contacts between the ministries on all levels will also play a key role. Intensive communication should continue between the national Visegrád coordinators, and active cooperation of Permanent Missions to the EU is expected too.
The regular contacts between presidents of the V4 countries will continue, and meetings of representatives of parliaments of the V4 countries will continue to be indispensable. 
In the future emphasis should be placed on further development of the civic dimension of Visegrád cooperation, as well as contacts between citizens of our countries. In this context we attach much importance to the activities of the International Visegrád Fund. 
Major events in the preparation of the new Visegrád Declaration
18/09/2003	Prague	Meeting of national Visegrád coordinators;	
16/10/2003	Nyiregyhaza	Meeting of national Visegrád coordinators;	
24/11/2003	Warsaw	Meeting of national Visegrád coordinators;	
22/01/2004	Štiřín	Meeting of national Visegrád coordinators;	
26/03/2004	Bratislava	Meeting of national Visegrád coordinators;	
26/04/2004	Luxembourg	Meeting of political directors of the V4 Foreign Ministries;	
28/04/2004	Prague	Meeting of directors of EU Sections of the V4 Foreign Ministries.