The general approach will serve as the Council's common position to start negotiations with the European Parliament under the EU's ordinary legislative procedure. Minister of State Krisztián Kecsmár welcomed the efforts made by the Slovak Presidency and underlined that in our view the text put forward for a first-reading agreement in the Council provides for an adequate balance between the interests of the costumers, the contractual freedom of the traders, and the principle for providing legal clarity.
The Council held a policy debate on the implementation of Single market strategy in presence of Commissioner Bieńkowska. Minister of State István Lepsényi highlighted that Hungary agree with the removal of unjustified or disproportionate regulatory and non-regulatory restrictions. However any new proposal should follow the better regulation principle focusing on administrative simplification.
During the regular competitiveness check-up this time ministers focused on the possibilities of skills development and the link between the education system and the labour market. The discussion was based on Commissioner Bienkowska’s presentation. Minister of State István Lepsényi welcomed the New European Skills Agenda and supported its objectives: developing and retraining skilled work-force and activating the largest possible share of the work-force are crucial for the Hungarian skills policy.
The Hungarian delegation requested a debate on the Commission initiative “European Pillar of Social Rights”, declaring that social, competitiveness and economic policy aspects cannot be addressed separately; therefore, this issue should feature regularly on the agenda of the Competitiveness Council. Besides, State Secretary Lepsényi pointed out that the proposal (under preparation by the Commission, and public consultation is still open) should respect the integrity of the Single Market as well as the principle of subsidiarity. Several Member States shared the concerns of the Hungarian delegation. The Commission also welcomed the debate and explained that the main purpose of the proposal will be to provide a reference framework for social progress.
Talking about progress, it was also a very important moment that the United Kingdom confirmed that they would proceed with the ratification process of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court and would cooperate with the Member States in order to launch the unitary patent system as soon as possible, during the first half of 2017. Minister of State Krisztián Kecsmár from Hungary, as well as a number of other ministers and Commissioner Bienkowska, underlined that a unitary patent system entering into force in the near future with the broadest possible geographical coverage serves the interest of the European industry.
During the working lunch ministers had an open discussion about the future of the European car manufacturing industry; what are the challenges, what priority actions should be considered. State Secretary Lepsényi informed his colleagues on the Hungarian government’s most recent plans and actions to promote low emission mobility and reported on the Regional Digital Summit held on Budapest on 17-18 November 2016, focussing on connected and autonomous driving.
