Contents: Introduction by President Mario Sepi -- Priorities of the EESC during the Czech presidency of the Council at the European Union -- Communicating Europe in partnership -- Lisbon treaty and organised civil society -- The renewed Lisbon strategy -- Economic and monetary union and economic and social cohesion -- Single market, production and consumption -- Employment, social policy and citizenship, immigration and integration -- Agriculture, rural development, environment, sustainable development -- Sustainable development observatory -- Transport, energy, infrastructure and the information society -- Industrial change -- Europe in the world -- The European Economic and Social Committee -- The Czech members of the European Economic and Social Committee -- Priorities for the Czech presidency of the Council, January-June 2009 -- Some basic facts about the Czech Republic -- Programme of events in 2009.