Guidelines on the Future Areas of Visegrad Cooperation

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 - New 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, visa policy,
• 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.