The thesis deals with preparation, process, results and evaluation of the first Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

How do small EU member states approach the Council Presidency: is the Presidency a silencer or an amplifier of national interests? Moreover, what challenges and opportunities do a small state face in the Presidency? In this comparative case study, I analysed the approach, challenges and opportunities of three member states in relation to the chairmanship: Denmark, an old and experienced member state and its Presidency in 2012; Latvia, a relatively new member state and first time Presidency in 2015; and finally Estonia, another new member, and its upcoming first time Presidency in 2018.My main findings indicate that the Presidency functions as a silencer for first time holders of the Presidency; and as an amplifier for Denmark, which efficiently used cognitive power resources to tilt the Presidency agenda in its favour, while remaining an honest broker. The Presidency offers many opportunities, among which the most important is the transformation of the public administration. Moreover, to showcase the EU to the incumbent state, and vice versa, is important for the integration process. It is also essential for the identity formation of small states to prove their capacity within the union. Finally, I established that a close relationship with the Commission is an important leadership quality and power resource for small states. For small states, the Presidency represents a challenge for the public administration, while unforeseeable events can entirely change the course of the Presidency. Furthermore, the domestic as well as the European political landscape can negatively influence the decision-making.

The thesis analyses the activities which are realized within the preparation and organization of the EU Council Presidency, namely both at the general level and also in the concrete case of the Czech presidency, with the priority focus on logistic and promotional aspects. The subject matter of the thesis is also an evaluation of the presidency, which presents the important part of its organizational support. The principal aim of the thesis is to stress the cardinal importance of the preparation and organization for the successful execution of the presidency.

The diploma thesis characterizes the institute of EU Council Presidency and deals with the Czech EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2009. More specifically, it concentrates on the Czech Presidency of Justice and Home Affairs Council. The thesis analyzes the Czech Presidency Programme in the area of Justice and Home Affrairs, as it was introduced at the beginning of 2009 and the thesis evaluates how much the Czech Republic managed to fulfil this programme. It answers the questions whether the Czech Republic has fulfilled the main functions of EU Council Presidency during its Presidency of Justice and Home Affairs Council and whether the Czech Republic managed to benefit from its advantageous position and present itself. Finally, the diploma thesis evaluates whether the Czech Republic generally passed during its Presidency in the area of Justice and Home Affairs.