David Stulik: EU Accession is about Development, Business Climate and Security Umbrella

12.04.2023 0 By NS.Writer

David Stulik

In view of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic course, we are communicating with our partners in the Visegrád Group regarding their experience in this direction. A Newssky correspondent asked David Stulik, a senior political analyst at the European Center for Security Policy in Prague, to comment on what the Czech Republic got as a nation by becoming a member of the EU.

Accession to the EU — integration into the large European market, development of the economy, improvement of the business climate, and a security umbrella for the nation.

When the Czech Republic joined the European Union, it gained a lot. First, in the economic sense, we have become an integrated part of the common market. That is, it is access to the largest market in the world. This provided a huge boost to the economy, attractiveness for foreign investments, and the business climate improved. Second, it also gained access to European Union funds for infrastructure development, i.e., additional funds without which the country could not develop so quickly. In the political sense, this meant we became an integrated part of the European community. Furthermore, of course, it is also a guarantee of security, that is, an umbrella under which you can hide and be together with other countries. At the same time, we have the same voice in solving European affairs as the rest of the countries. For ordinary citizens, this meant freedom of movement, also joining the Schengen area, that is, the ability to travel without obstacles in the European Union, and it also meant that they could get a job in other countries. That is, huge opportunities have opened for people not only to travel but also to realize themselves. And, of course, there is the Erasmus program for students, and thanks to it, every person, and every student can study at least one semester abroad.

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