The Hungarian Government assumed the six-month presidency of the European Union on January 1, 2011. Spain, Belgium and Hungary have agreed on a joint 18-month EU presidencies programme, also beginning in January 2010. These countries are the first to work under the rules of the Lisbon Treaty and will thus be responsible to define a working method to ensure a smooth transition without impeding the treaty's political progress. The Hungarian Presidency of the EU is building its political agenda around the human factor, focusing on four main topics: growth and employment for preserving the European social model; an economically stronger Europe; a citizen-friendly Union; and a policy of enlargement and neighborhood. and Martin Kašpárek.
Sweden assumed the European Union six-month rotating presidency from the Czech Republic on 1 July 2009. Under the motto “Taking on the challenges”, Sweden has taken charge of the EU administration in difficult times of economic recession and faces an uncertain institutional future. The Swedish government has defined the aims of its EU presidency as: conducting an effective, open and results-oriented presidency in the interests of the whole of Europe; advancing the EU’s common issues and Sweden’s priority issues; strengthening Sweden’s role in the EU, serving in the EU's interest and strengthening the EU’s role as a global actor in issues, such as climate changing and CO2 tax. and Lenka Hebáková.
This issue features an article on the life and work of the first post-1989 President of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (CAS), Professor Otto Wichterle. The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic has been observing this year the 100th anniversary of his birth. A recollection meeting to organize this jubilee took place on October 24, 2013 at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry. The Institute of Chemical Technology the same day exhibited a bust of Professor Wichterle by sculptor Milan Vácha at a festive ceremony. A chemist and inventor Otto Wichterle achieved world renown not only for his invention the first practicable soft contact lens. He supervised the former Academy of Sciences from 1990 until Czechoslovakia was dissolved in 1992. In 2007, Professor Wichterte was posthumously named to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. and Luděk Svoboda a Gabriela Adámková.
Před budovou Přírodovědecké fakulty UK v pražské Viničné ulici byl pod záštitou děkana prof. Bohuslava Gaše odhalen 6. května 2014 pomník Juliu Sachsovi. Téhož dne odpoledne se v Novoměstské radnici uskutečnilo kolokvium „Julius Sachs, zakladatel moderní rostlinné fyziologie“, které zaštítil prorektor Univerzity Karlovy doc. Jan Konvalinka. Večer následovalo v sídle Akademie věd ČR na Národní třídě zahájení výstavy „Julius Sachs a počátky rostlinné fyziologie“ za přítomnosti a s egidou předsedy AV ČR prof. Jiřího Drahoše. Nechci sahat nikomu do svědomí, ale jsem si téměř jist, že většina domácích přírodovědců si nebude jista, kdo vlastně Julius Sachs byl. Uveďme jej proto nejprve do dvorany slávy přírodovědců druhé poloviny 19. století. and Jan Krekule.