Ambassador Edita Hrda

Ambassador Edita Hrda
Czech Permanent Representation to the European Union

The Permanent Representation in Brussels serves as the primary liaison between Czech civil administration and EU institutions. The diplomats at the Permanent Representation negotiate at the meetings of 150 working groups. Over 2,000 meetings take place over each six-month period. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Government and other ministries, the Permanent Representation prepares over 30 formal Councils of Ministers and several European Councils each semester. European Councils, ie. summits of the EU heads of states and governments, determine the Union’s strategic development.

The Permanent Representatives Committee to the EU (comprising COREPER II and COREPER I) prepare all Councils of Ministers. The former is concerned with political and financial issues and foreign affairs; the Ambassador to the EU, Edita Hrdá, takes part in the sessions of this committee. The latter committee concerns economic and social issues. Acting Deputy Permanent Representative Lucie Šestáková takes part in its meetings. The third key committee is the Political and Security Committee (COPS) where the Czech Republic is represented by Ambassador Jitka Látal Znamenáčková.

Tasks

The Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union was established on the date of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU by a transformation from the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the European Communities pursuant to Government Resolution No. 208 of 27 February 2002. The statutory representative and Head of the Permanent Representation is the extraordinary and plenipotentiary Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the EU, who acts also as the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic in the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER II). Since September 2018, this post has been held by Ambassador Jakub Dürr.