At the end of February, a study trip to Brussels awaited the participants of the Security Academy 2023/2024, preceded by preparatory workshops on the EU institutions and European politics. All this in view of the fact that Czechia will soon celebrate the 20th anniversary of its accession to the EU.
On 22 February 2024 the students visited the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic where they were briefed by the Kristina Hubáčkova from the Department of Communication on European Affairs, Section for European Affairs, on several current topics, including the Czech presidency of the EU Council and its impact on public administration, small number of Czechs in EU institutions, training possibilities in the EU institutions and communication of European issues in the Czech Republic.
After becoming more acquainted with the Czech government’s perspective, the program proceeded to the second part of the agenda, during which the students engaged in a discussion with Martin Vokálek, the executive director of the Europeum Institute for European Policy (EUROPEUM), to explore the relationship between non-governmental organisations and European politics.
First day of a study visit to Brussels: NATO
These preparatory workshops laid the groundwork for the upcoming study visit, where the insights gained were further explored between 26 and 28 February 2024 in Brussels. Participants of the Security Academy and last year's EuropaSecura finalists went to the headquarters of European institutions and NATO in order to get in touch with the practicalities of both organisations, thus connecting their acquired knowledge with real-life practice by meeting experts from the field. As one of the participants summarised: “The study visit was a highlight of this school year, and the discussions we had exceeded my expectations in the depth and openness of the speakers.”
The study visit began with a discussion with the Permanent Representatives to NATO at the Permanent Delegation of the Czech Republic to NATO. During this session, students had the privilege of being joined by Jakub Landovský, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO, and Peter Bátor, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to NATO. Together, they delved into the complexities of Czech-Slovak cooperation and addressed current security challenges within the scope of NATO's focus.
Second day of the study visit to Brussels: the European Defence Agency, the European Commission and the Council of the EU
The following day, the visit proceeded with a meeting featuring Jiří Šedivý, the Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, who elaborated on the agency's role within the context of present-day security concerns.
Afterwards, the group visited one of the buildings of the European Commission for the first time to meet with Peter Stano, the lead spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. They engaged in a detailed discussion on the role and nuances of communication regarding Russian aggression towards Ukraine and Ukraine’s future in the EU.
The program proceeded with a visit to the Europa building, the main seat of the European Council and the Council of the EU. Here, participants attended a lecture on the role of the Council of the EU and the European Council within the European institutions, followed by a discussion on the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy. Both sessions were led by Nicoals Lefevre, providing participants with the opportunity to delve deeper into the topics.
The day concluded with a chance to focus more on the foreign policy and security agenda from the point of view of the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU. The participants were joined by Kateřina Šustrová, Head of Department Antici, COREPER II Coordination, and Lucie Hasnedlová from RELEX, dealing with horizontal Common Foreign and Security Policy issues.
Third day of the study visit to Brussels: the Czechs in the EU institutions - the EEAS and the European Commission
The last day took place once again at the premises of the European Commission, where the students of Security Academy and finalists of EuropaSecura had the opportunity to meet with Czech experts working in the EU. Radek Khol , from the Security and Defence Policy Directorate, discussed the fight against terrorism and the point of view of the European External Action Service. Afterwards, the participants also discussed the activities of the European External Action Service with Petra Gombalová Kyslingerová, head of the division, who delivered an overview of the current development of relations between the EU and Ukraine. Last but not least, the day concluded with a meeting with members of the Czech Commissioner Věra Jourová's cabinet, Veronika Musilová and Daniel Braun.
We would like to thank Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic for their support and organisation of the study visit.
Lucia Macháčková and Michael Murad
