The International Relations and European Union Department is committed to presenting Czech culture abroad as efficiently as possible. As the Ministry's department in charge of its relations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Unit cooperates with the aforementioned resort in fulfilling the tasks of the Czech Republic under its membership in the European Union and the Council of Europe, Visegrad Group, the organisations within the UN system, including UNESCO, the Central European Initiative, the Francophonie and other international governmental organisations, proposing appropriate measures to advance international cooperation in cultural matters. In addition, within the Ministry, the Unit is in charge of planning, coordinating and organising cultural relations with foreign countries and arranging foreign work trips, and further contributes to the official presentation of Czech professional art abroad, mainly through project support programmes or by organising national exhibitions as part of show events and fairs abroad. The International Relations and European Union Department consists of the Bilateral Cooperation Unit, UNESCO Relations and International Cooperation Unit and the European Union Unit.
Along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bilateral Cooperation Unit is in charge of drawing up cultural cooperation agreements, preparing and procuring the concepts and methodologies of, and drawing up proposals for implementation plans related to cultural agreements and registering the obligations under international agreements, the fulfilment of which has been entrusted to the Ministry. In addition, it organises and provides for cooperation with embassies of foreign countries, with Czech embassies abroad and with representatives of international organisations, with the exception of the European Union and the Council of Europe.
European Union Unit
The European Union Unit is in charge of fulfilling the tasks of the Ministry of the European Parliament from the membership of the Czech Republic in the Union and the Council of Europe and represents the Ministry externally in this matter. Keeps in mind the obligations arising from international agreements in relation to the European Union and the Council of Europe, which provide fulfilment was imposed on the Ministry. It is responsible for the administration of the database of European Community regulations (ISAP) and the outputs from which it uses to ensure the harmonization of legal regulations in the area of the Ministry's substantive competence with the legislation of the European Communities. Furthermore, he ensures the communication of the Ministry's employees with the representatives of the European Union and the Council of Europe.
UNESCO Relations and International Cooperation Unit
The UNESCO Relations and International Cooperation Unit is in charge of preparing the Ministry's opinions on draft international legal instruments and other UNESCO materials and coordinating the concepts and methodologies employed by the Ministry's various units in the implementation of UNESCO programmes and fulfilment of obligations under international instruments, with the exception of those relating exclusively to copyright and copyright-related rights. The Unit also oversees the Ministry's cooperation with Czech institutions covering the UNESCO agenda. For general information on the organisation go to http://www.unesco.org.
Contact: omv@mk.gov.cz
