President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel welcomed the President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, and the President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, at Slavkov Castle near Brno on Wednesday, 5 March at the Slavkov Format Presidential Summit. Czechia organised this Summit to mark the 10th anniversary of the existence of this regional platform as the main event of its one-year presidency of the S3. This was the first-ever joint meeting of the S3 at the level of Heads of State. 

The main topic of the Summit was an evaluation of cross-border cooperation in light of recent crises related to natural disasters such as floods, tornado, and drought, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, and opportunities for deepening this cooperation in the future. The Presidents supported further coordination of the integrated rescue system and welcomed, for instance, the successful negotiation of a framework agreement between Czechia and Slovakia regarding medical rescue services, similar to an existing agreement with Austria. The Presidents also discussed strengthening transport connectivity in the region, particularly through the development of high-speed railway lines and roads. The meeting reaffirmed the strong relations between Czechia, Austria, and Slovakia and the necessity of further developing these ties. 

As part of the Summit, a meeting of secondary school students from all three countries who are authors of successful projects in the fields of innovation and new technologies, was organised. The Presidents supported their activities as some of them have already gained international recognition (such as the Czech projects LASAR, the game Mourning Tide, and the walking robot Arnold). They also agreed on the importance of innovation and technological development, including artificial intelligence, for Europe's future and its competitiveness. The purpose of this gathering was both to strengthen contacts among young people and to highlight their role in fostering innovation in Europe. The student summit was co-organised by the innovation agency JIC and supported by the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research. 

During the Summit, the Presidents reiterated their strong support for Ukraine in its continuous defence against Russian aggression. They agreed on the necessity of achieving a sustainable peace settlement as soon as possible, with Ukraine’s full participation and consent, and emphasised that Europe must be actively involved in the peace process. The Presidents also reaffirmed their commitment to continued transatlantic cooperation. At the same time, they stressed that Europe must be prepared to take greater responsibility for its own security. 

The S3 is one of the regional formats of Central European cooperation. It was established with the signing of the Slavkov Declaration on 29 January 2015 at Slavkov Castle. S3 activities are conducted according to a Work Plan, which is prepared each year by the country holding the presidency. From July 2024 to June 2025, Czechia holds the presidency and will be followed by Slovakia. The most common form of cooperation, approximately four times a year, are the consultations between national coordinators from the respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs. These discussions typically focus on EU-related matters and current foreign policy issues. The S3 also addresses topics such as energy security, transport, digital transformation, and new technologies.

photo: Zuzana Bönisch