The UK and the Czech Republic are active EU partners and the British Embassy in Prague is working hard to strengthen this relationship.

The Lisbon Agenda is a ten-year programme of economic reform to make the EU "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion by 2010". In 2005 the focus was narrowed to increasing growth and jobs, with work taken forward under four priorities – knowledge & innovation, jobs, business environment & secure and sustainable energy.

A strengthened commitment to the Lisbon Agenda is a pillar of the UK Government’s EU strategy, as set out in the UK’s policy statement Global Europe. In 'Global Europe' British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband set out the UK's vision to make the European Union a global player in the 21^st century. The UK Treasury also set out its position on the kind of budget the EU will need to tackle 21st century challenges like energy security and climate change.  (You can download copies of these documents available in the top right column.)

The Global Europe policy statement inspired a series of seminars held by the British Embassy in conjunction with the Respekt Institute in Prague. 

You can watch videos and see images from the seminars at which UK Minister for Europe Caroline Flint spoke about global climate change and the role of the EU and Czech economist Tomáš Sedláček commented on the global financial crisis in connection with London G20 summit.   

The Embassy also works closely with the Czech government on the range of issues relevant to the Lisbon agenda. This includes our shared priority of better regulation in the EU to make the European economy dynamic and competitive. In May 2008 the former UK Europe Minister Jim Murphy attended a Better Regulation event hosted by former Czech Deputy Prime Minister for Europe Alexandr Vondra in Prague. They and other EU countries agreed the 'Prague Declaration' [PDF] setting out practical steps for progress.

The UK welcomed the commitment made by all European Union governments at the 2007 Spring European Council to reduce administrative burdens arising from EU legislation by 25 per cent by 2012 and this UK report presents 25 ideas for simplification of relevant EU laws:

Leaflet: 25 ideas for simplifying EU law.pdf