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Although the United Kingdom has not launched the so-called Article 50 procedure resulting from the BREXIT referendum of 23 June 2016, the start of the process is imminent. In such an unprecedented situation the Hungarian Government is intent on making an active contribution to demonstrate its commitment to a successful European Union. 

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Accordingly, the Hungarian Government decided to take steps to host the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as well as the European Banking Authority (EBA) by the time the United Kingdom leaves the EU. The EMA is an institution responsible for the authorisation and monitoring of innovative medicinal products, and in view of its size and competencies plays an important role in the daily operation of the EU. As part of the European System of Financial Supervision, the EBA (established in 2011) is responsible for the effective and smooth functioning of the European banking sector as well as for maintaining financial stability in the EU.

Hungary recalls that in accordance with the decisions of the European Council of 2003 and 2008, when it comes to the location of EU Agencies, Member States which joined the EU after 2004 should be given a priority. Although Hungary hosts two EU agencies in Budapest (the European Institute of Innovation & Technology and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training), the EMA would be the first agency with such a broad scope of competence and large numbers of staff, which would contribute to a better geographical distribution of EU Agencies.

Hungary is dedicated to medical research, development and innovation, which are supported by the country’s reputable tradition in the field of pharmaceutical studies. By hosting the EBA in Budapest, the Authority could strengthen its independence from banking supervision within the eurozone and strike an adequate balance between the banking sector interests of eurozone and non-eurozone Member States.

In Brussels on Friday, after a summit of heads of state and government of the EU Member States, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that for Hungary the previous day’s re-election of Donald Tusk as President of the European Council was about Europe’s operability, rather than about one Member State or another.

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We must accept that European politics operates on party political lines, and Hungary’s governing parties – both Fidesz and the Christian Democrats – belong to the European People’s Party (EPP), Mr. Orbán said. Therefore, he added, Hungary had supported the EPP’s sole, joint candidate. 

The Prime Minister told the press that he was unable to keep the promise he had made to Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of Poland’s governing party, because Warsaw’s rival candidate – Member of the European Parliament Jacek Saryusz-Wolski – had left the EPP before the meeting, and thus Mr. Tusk remained the sole EPP candidate. 

He added that before the EU summit he had written about the situation to his Polish counterpart, Prime Minister Beata Szydło, and so “no one should have been surprised”.

He added that “We did everything we could to reach a reasonable compromise, but it is very difficult to reach a compromise – let alone a reasonable one – on the role of individuals”.

The Prime Minister said that the Poles could not have won this battle. The decision must be accepted, however, even if there is a Member State which finds it unacceptable. 

“The decision arrived at just now does not affect the Polish-Hungarian alliance: we continue to stand firmly by Poles on all issues which involve unfair attacks against their country – and there are quite a few of those here in the European Union”, the Prime Minister said. Therefore, regardless of this, he added, Poland can rely on Hungary’s solidarity, and “our appreciation for the Polish people and our friendly feelings towards President Kaczyński remain unchanged”.

 

     

 

Europe continues to be the best place in the world 

On Friday, only the leaders of “the twenty-seven” – the EU Member States remaining after the departure of the United Kingdom – stayed on in Brussels to hold an informal meeting on the future of a reduced EU and on preparations for the summit at the end of March marking the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which created the predecessor of the EU. 

Mr. Orbán stressed that there is a need to define Europe’s place in the new world order emerging after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, in order to determine what all this means to us, and what consequences it will have. 

Despite all the difficulties, Europe continues to be the best place in the world, and the goal is to maintain this position, he said. He added that European culture, civilisation and economy has achieved unprecedented results in the period since the Second World War, and there is every chance of Europe being able to offer its citizens the best and happiest way of life in the world. 

Regarding the future of the EU, he stated that it must be made clear that there shall be no withdrawal of powers from the Member States. 

The concept of a multi-speed Europe was also discussed at the meeting. In this regard Mr. Orbán said the following:

“We must not have a ‘two-speed Europe’: there is no first-class and second-class Europe; there is no core and periphery. In general, this whole question of a two-speed Europe is one of the most abhorrent ideas for us. At the same time, through strengthened cooperation we are not opposed to the idea of some countries making more progress than others on some issues.

“We allow everyone to move further forward than others in accordance with their own best interests, but within certain boundaries.”

 

     

 

Detention of migrants is not imprisonment 

The Prime Minister said that when discussing the new Hungarian migration legislation, the leaders of the Member States did not object to it, as it coincides with current proposals being urged by Germany and Austria.

In essence the legislation will ensure that not a single migrant who fails to clarify the reason for their entry will be able to travel on to Germany from the territory of Hungary or to move freely in Europe, he said, adding that everyone will be detained until the reasons for their arrival have been fully established.

The Hungarian position is a consistent one and, as well as representing Hungarian interests, it also coincides with those of Germany and Austria, Mr. Orbán said. This, he noted, is because “the situation can only be resolved with legally definitive procedures outside the territory of the European Union which separate asylum-seekers from those who wish to enter the EU for economic reasons”. 

He stated that the fact that the other EU Member States’ leaders have understood the Hungarian legislation is an achievement. 

“What we do with the Brussels bureaucrats is another matter, as they are usually the ones who raise objections, and in matters which they don’t happen to like they have powers which they use to try and force Hungary to change its decisions and rules. This battle is yet to be fought”, he said. 

The Prime Minister stressed that the task is not for migration to be “humanely and well” managed, but for migration pressure to be resisted. 

The goal of Hungary is to stop migrants from coming to Europe, he said. 

If a country lets migrants in, it should not send them on, as Hungary does not wish to take in migrants, and does not wish to change either its cultural or its ethnic composition. 

On the subject of injuries sustained by migrants, he said that he is not aware of a single such incident occurring in the territory of Hungary. He observed that each and every one of these reported incidents took place in the territory of Serbia. 

The Prime Minister said that he will protect Hungarian police and soldiers “whose duty is to protect us” with the utmost resolve and competence. 

Committee to be set up to monitor situation of Hungarians in Austria 

At his press conference Mr. Orbán announced that Hungary will set up a monitoring and tracking committee to monitor whether the situation of Hungarians in Austria is deteriorating due to statutory changes contemplated there. 

The Prime Minister said that he had bilateral talks in Brussels with Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, and had let him know that if Hungary experiences any deterioration in the situation of Hungarians working in Austria, “a similar, proportionate situation will emerge” on Hungary’s side of the border. He added that Hungary will also take action in EU forums to ensure that the situation in Austria is brought back within the legal boundaries of the EU. 

The Hungarian prime minister stressed that until very recently Austrian-Hungarian relations had been working well, and there is no reason for this to change. He said that there is mutual agreement that a general deterioration in relations between the two countries must be avoided, and conflicts should be confined to the specific topics. 

Mr. Orbán told the press that in Hungary’s view the European Union has no Balkans strategy, and is failing to make use of the most important tool at its disposal: the possibility of EU enlargement.

In his opinion, until recently the Balkan region was stable because the examples of Slovenia and Croatia convinced the region’s countries that EU membership was a genuine possibility. The current slowing down of these processes substantially undermine the belief in enlargement as a real prospect, he said, and this belief should be restored as soon as possible – despite the fact that several countries are averse to the idea of enlargement. Regrettably, the positions on this issue are not converging, the Prime Minister added.

 

 

(MTI; kormany.hu, photo: Balázs Szecsődi, Press Office of the Prime Minister)

At the informal meeting of health ministers held in Valetta, 20. March 2017. Hungary was represented by Orsolya Pacsay-Tomassich Deputy State Secretary.

As the main health priority in the Maltese Presidency program is combatting childhood obesity, the ministers held an extensive debate on how the worrying trends can be reversed. The participants agreed that multisectorial approach is indispensable as tools in the hands of health ministers are rather limited. As the Presidency rightly pointed out, schools are not just places to learn about mathematics, history, science and languages but also places where children should be given the opportunity to thrive by developing good eating and lifestyle habits that can last a lifetime.

In this spirit, Orsolya Pacsay-Tomassich draw attention to several measures of the Hungarian Government, such as everyday physical education and encouraged other ministers to consider more ambitious steps in the field of school food standardization and introduce binding regulatory measures instead of voluntarily applicable guidelines. In addition, the deputy state secretary attached a great deal of importance to taxation measures that are efficient tools to reduce unhealthy foodstuffs offered to children, to encourage reformulation and to promote healthy nutrition.

The delegations discussed what measures should be taken in order to fast track actions on HIV towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 in the European Union. Hungary is fully committed to contribute to the global targets set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to end AIDS by 2030. In this regard we share the common objectives of achieving the ‘90–90–90’ targets for 2020 (90% of all people living with HIV will know their status; 90% of people aware of their status will receive sustained antiretroviral treatment; and 90% of those on antiretroviral treatment will have viral suppression).

Ministers also exchanged their opinions on the opportunities in structured voluntary cooperation in the field of improving access to innovative technologies for Rare Diseases. Orsolya Pacsay-Tomassich expressed Hungary’s full support relating to the recently launched European Reference Networks which might be good settings of accelerated research and development of orphan medicines. In order to increase negotiating power in relation to monopolistic pharmaceutical industry players regional cooperation play an important role, so every exchange of information between specific groups of member states is always welcome.

Structured mobility of medical specialists for the purpose of enhancing access to specialized services was also on the agenda. The deputy state secretary made it clear that Hungary – together with other countries of the Central and Eastern European Region – have experienced a massive loss of health workforce in the past years and therefore mobility (including health workforce recruitment) should be handled in an ethical way, resulting in better distribution of health professionals.

In Rome on Saturday – after the leaders of the EU Member States and central institutions had signed a declaration on the EU’s common future – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that normality in Europe can only be restored if every nation attends to its own security and well-being.

“The penny may now have dropped”, he said, adding that “everyone can clearly see” the situation.

                              (Photo: Balázs Szecsődi)

In a statement broadcast by Hungarian public television news channel M1, the Prime Minister pointed out that we can only rely on ourselves when looking for solutions to the formidable challenges we are faced with, and everyone must work on the tasks which present themselves in their own home countries.

“If we want a safe Hungary, we can only rely on ourselves: it is we who must make it safe”, Mr. Orbán said, adding that “If we want to grow economically, we must work harder and better in order to be competitive”.

The Prime Minister stressed that everyone is needed for the task of building the economy, and there is a job for everyone. All such jobs “will not be done for us by others, and no ceremonial declaration of any kind will change that”, he noted, going on to say that “If we can be proud of our own country, we can be proud of Europe”.

Timed to coincide with the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the treaty establishing the forerunner of the European Union, the Rome Declaration was signed by all Member States except the United Kingdom, as within days Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger the process resulting in her country’s withdrawal from the EU.

Mr. Orbán stressed that the declaration draws up the balance sheet of the past sixty years, of which “we have good reason to be proud”; it also outlines the most significant issues for the future, however, and in this department “we have reason to believe that we have formidable challenges to address”.

 

                               (Phot: Balázs Szecsődi)

He said that the leaders of the Member States “have come a long way”, and the document which was eventually adopted “only bears a vague similarity” to the document which was first discussed. Several of the Hungarian proposals which he had presented are included in the text. “With regard to the interests of the Hungarian people, this is a good document”, Mr. Orbán said in summary.

As examples of this he mentioned references to the importance of protecting the borders, and the principle that the Member States themselves must give European answers to problems, rather than expect the institutions in Brussels to provide the answers for them. He highlighted those sections concerned with the protection of the borders, the importance of taking action against illegal migration and the fight against terrorism, and the commitment to job creation.

                             (Photo: Balázs Szecsődi)

Hungary “is today the only country in the European Union which has set out to achieve full employment”, he said, adding that “We do not expect higher living standards for the people and a more successful Hungarian economy to be delivered by benefits, but by jobs”.

He also pointed out that there is full agreement among the Visegrád Four (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) that labour shortages should be addressed with family policy measures and the establishment of workfare societies, rather than through immigration.

Mr. Orbán admitted that the declaration also features ideas which “depart from this line of thinking, but which are important for other states”. He took the view, however, that the rules of coexistence among the 27 countries also apply to such a document.

(MTI)

"Improving situation of Hungarian farmers is the  objective of the Government during the fine-tuning process of the Common Agricultural Policy" – said György Czerván, Secretary of State for Agricultural Economy, after the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg on 3 April 2017.

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The Secretary of State recalled that the European Commission published its proposal for simplification of the four basic CAP regulations in September 2016, which aims to alleviate the administrative burden of farmers and national institutions responsible for implementation as well. It is important to highlight that the proposed amendments do not constitute the review of the 2013 CAP reform.

 

 

From the Hungarian point of view, it is an important result that the framework of voluntary coupled support would not change, it will continue to help Hungarian farmers and stimulate employment.

The amendment foresees several simplifications with regard to the active farmer clause, which would further reduce administrative burden on farmers.

"According to the Commission proposal, national financial assistance for fruit and vegetable producer organizations would have been reduced by a quarter, but as a result of a Hungarian initiative, with the support of several Member States, such text has been the put into the Council’s position, which would not only prevent the reduction, but even gives the opportunity to pay the double of the amount, which is currently paid" - György Czerván pointed out.

"Today’s agreement reflects the position of the agriculture ministers, the consent of the European Parliament as co-legislator is also required for the final adoption of the modifications to the CAP basic regulations. This is expected during autumn, thus the new rules will come into force on 1 January 2018, so they are to be applied for claim year 2018" - the Secretary of State added.

On the Council meeting, the Commission presented its report on the implementation of ecological focus areas. Based on this report, the Commission does not plan to increase the current share of the compulsory 5 % of ecological focus areas.

At a press conference in Brussels on Saturday after an extraordinary summit of the remaining 27 EU Member States, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary’s position had been successfully defended at the Brussels summit of the European People’s Party.

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The Prime Minister said that at the Saturday meeting of the European People’s Party’s Presidency there was discussion of a number of issues related to Hungary which had also been on the agenda of the European Parliament’s plenary session. Mr. Orbán stated that he had successfully defended Hungary’s position.

Speaking about the American billionaire George Soros’s recent visit to Brussels, the Prime Minister said that “There are some who want to harm Hungary, and there are others whose duty it is to defend the country”. In his view he had managed to set matters right in Brussels.

     

Mr. Orbán said that the issue of Central European University / Közép-európai Egyetem will proceed in the relevant legal channels, and no one may impose conditions on Hungary. This is a legal issue, he added, about which the European Commission and Hungary will have talks over the next few months. Hungary will implement the agreement resulting from this dialogue, the Prime Minister said.

With regard to the extraordinary summit of heads of state and government of the European Union, he said that his duty had been to ensure development of a scenario for negotiations with Britain during its withdrawal from the EU which is in line with Hungarian interests. He said that the outcome on this issue was also successful, as preparatory work resulted in the European Council adopting the guidelines relating to Brexit negotiations.

The Hungarian government is pro-European

Mr. Orbán said that the European People’s Party – and all EU bodies – request that when Hungary states an opinion on Europe it should be made clear that it is not intended to be anti-European.

He stressed that the European Union is more popular in Hungary than in any other Member State, and this is an achievement which also reflects the efforts of the Hungarian government, as it is pro-European.

The Prime Minister stated that he is not prepared to yield an inch in relation to his view that in a number of respects the European Union is functioning poorly and must be reformed. On this, he said, open debate must be conducted, and talks must be held.

He referred to issues which are dangerous for Hungarians – such as migration and a European Commission initiative which seeks to eliminate reductions in household utility charges. Mr. Orbán pointed out that Hungary seeks to change the minds of those who have made proposals on these issues.

The “Stop Brussels!” slogan is not anti-European, the Prime Minister said: Hungary is simply seeking to maintain the current allocation of competences between the Member States and the Brussels institutions. What Hungarians are interested in is that allocation should remain as it is today, Mr. Orbán said.

 

(MTI, photo: Balázs Szecsődi)

At a plenary session of the European Parliament, one of the main topics of which was the state of fundamental rights in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that the Hungarian government has in recent years sought to resolve conflicts through dialogue and negotiations, and will also strive for this outcome on the issues currently on the agenda.

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The Prime Minister highlighted that in the past few years his government has succeeded in resolving a number of disputes with the European Union, on issues such as media regulation, the new Hungarian Constitution, the independence of the judiciary and the Paks Nuclear Plant enlargement project.

 

Accusations regarding closure of Central European University are unfounded

Mr. Orbán described accusations regarding the closure of Central European University (CEU) as unfounded, adding that the legislative amendment simply standardises the rules applying to all institutions of higher education operating in Hungary.

      He underlined that the Hungarian law eliminates the possibility of speculation and abuse, demands transparency, and ends special privileges not enjoyed by European universities.

He pointed out that as the leader of an EU Member State it is his duty to ensure that European and Hungarian universities are not at a disadvantage compared to their competitors outside the EU.

Speaking about the planned tightening of regulations on non-governmental organisations, he said that a number of EU Member States are considering how to make the operations of organisations which seek to influence democratic decision-making transparent to everyone. All that the Hungarian government is seeking to do is see that people are provided with information about the funding and interests behind non-governmental organisations.

In his speech the Prime Minister highlighted that the Hungarian government’s commitment to the European Union cannot be questioned, but “in many respects we are dissatisfied with the functioning of the European Union”. He said that his government criticises the European Union because it wants to correct existing mistakes and reform the EU.

      He added that the Member State in which the popularity of the European Union is the highest is Hungary, but people will only support the Union if it is fair and built on open debate. He said that the trust of citizens can only be regained if we make every effort to rectify mistakes. In order to do so, however, we first of all need to clearly identify the problems.

Mr. Orbán called upon Members of the European Parliament to be critical of any prejudice against Hungary, and to always avoid double standards. He added that his government realises that membership not only involves rights, but also obligations.

Responding to remarks from MEPs, the Prime Minister first spoke about the migration crisis, pointing out that Hungary is observing the provisions of the Dublin Regulation – for which it deserves recognition, rather than attacks. He added that, by observing these international commitments, the Government is primarily protecting Germany, Austria and Sweden, as migrants only want to travel through Hungary and not to it.

The Hungarian position on the issue of migration is perfectly clear, he said: illegal immigration must be stopped, and refugees and economic migrants should be separated from each other outside the territory of the European Union. Assistance must be taken to people in trouble where the trouble is, he said, adding that the policy of relocations based on mandatory quotas has failed, as not even those states not opposed to the EU policy are not implementing it. It has proved to be a bad idea and a different solution must be found, the Prime Minister stated.

     

What Hungary receives from the European Union is not a charitable donation

He further pointed out that what Hungary receives from the European Union is not a charitable donation. Every Member State benefits from the cohesion policy, and so Hungary cannot be asked “to keep our mouths shut”. He highlighted that the net contributor Member States are also beneficiaries of the cohesion policy: “We have eliminated our customs tariffs. We have opened our markets and permitted the free flow of capital – while after communism we lacked capital and were as poor as church mice […] You cannot ask us, Ladies and Gentlemen, to keep our mouths shut, and you cannot speak to us as if you were giving us some gift, and as if we should be grateful because you have bought us and now we are in debt to you.”

Regarding the accusations made against the Hungarian government, he said that “it is unjust and unfair” to mention authoritarian countries when talking about Hungary.

In response to comments about the fact that Mr. Orbán himself once studied abroad with a scholarship from the Soros Foundation, the Prime Minister said: “I have quite a few thoughts about George Soros, but I certainly don’t think that he ever gave anyone a scholarship because he thought that by doing so he was buying that person’s opinions for the rest of their life.”

Mr. Orbán also objected to the view in Europe today that there is no democracy in a country if the liberals do not win or are not part of the government. He said he believes that there can still be democracy without this. “Illiberal democracy is when someone other than the liberals have won”, he said.

     

Agenda items for the Wednesday session included amendment of the Hungarian legislation on higher education, the planned tightening of regulations on non-governmental organisations, the automatic detention of asylum seekers, the issue of media pluralism, and independence of the judiciary.

 

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI, photo: Balázs Szecsődi)

Initiated by and co-organised with Medicines for Europe, the Permanent Representation of Hungary hosted a Seminar on “The Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) Manufacturing Waiver: A Boost to Jobs & Growth in Europe” for industrial property attachés on 3 May. Besides the attachés of the different Permanent Representations, the representatives of the European Commission, the European Patent Office and a number of European pharmaceutical companies (TEVA, Mylan, Assogenerici, Fresenius Kabi) participated in the event. The Seminar was opened by Ambassador Tibor Stelbaczky, Deputy Permanent Representative of Hungary. The representative of the European Commission outlined the plans for the review and optimization of the industrial property legal framework for SPCs, while the pharmaceutical manufacturers illustrated the shortcomings of the current legislation by practical examples and highlighted the advantages of introducing an SPC Manufacturing Waiver. These advantages could be the most prominent as regards the promotion of economic growth, creation of jobs and avoiding the translocation of the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products outside the European Union.

The next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) will take place in Brussels on 11 May 2017. The Hungarian delegation will be led by H.E. Péter Szijjártó Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Council will review the state of play of the negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the preparations for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11) to be held in Buenos Aires this December. In Hungary’s view the EU should formulate realistic expectations and proposals for the outcome of the MC11 that can be acceptable to other WTO members.

Ministers are expected to endorse the Council mandate agreed at Coreper for trilogue negotiations with the European Parliament regarding the new anti-dumping methodology draft regulation. Hungary considers an important element of the draft regulation that it does not weaken the protection of EU industry against unfair trade practices and comply with the international obligations of the Union. We attach great importance to the country-neutral nature of the regulation.

Ministers will overview the draft regulation on the Temporary Autonomous Trade Measures for Ukraine. Hungary supports the earliest possible assistance to Ukraine.

The Council will be debriefed about the preparations of launching free trade negotiations with Australia, Chile and New Zealand.

The Council will hold a debate on the implementation of free trade agreements on the basis of the Commission’s discussion paper regarding the improvement of the implementation and the communication of the benefits of the EU FTAs

Commissioner Malmström will present to the Ministers the Commission’s reflection paper on harnessing globalisation by 2025.

Ministers will overview the state of play of the negotiations of the EU-Myanmar/Burma investment protection agreement and will discuss the potential conditions and possible timeframe of the conclusion of the negotiations.

Ministers will also be debriefed on the state of play of the free trade negotiations with Japan, Mercosur and Mexico. Commissioner Malmström will inform the ministers about her visit in Washington.

Over 100 experts, from 23 different countries (including 3 non-EU countries) engaged in the implementation of macro regional strategies were present at the seminar organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary on the 23rd of May in Brussels. The event, which was hosted by the Permanent Representation of Hungary to the EU, has generated very much interest and gave the opportunity to the existing macro regional strategies to share their experiences, but also gave the possibility for the Carpathian Macro Regional Strategy to be introduced by Poland.

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In his keynote address dr. György Kozma, Head of Cabinet of the Permanent Representation of Hungary, highlighted that this initiative is ground-breaking in that it is the first time when all stakeholders and decision makers were involved (from the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region and the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region) in the discussions regarding the future perspectives of macro regional strategies. He further emphasized that the framework provided by macro regional strategies could be the most suitable form of cooperation for regional advocacy, for example considering the future financing possibilities beyond 2020, because they inherently bridge the divide between political ambitions of nation states and the European Union.

The speakers of the event found the expert level dialogue - which included important questions such as the need to simplify application procedures to EU funds and the importance of concentrating existing funds based on jointly defined strategic areas - very pragmatic. The discussion also covered the opportunities of increasing funds that are directly connected to the implementation of macro-regional strategies – such as the Danube Region Strategy, in which Hungary plays an active and leading role.

In his concluding words Gábor Jenei, Deputy National Coordinator of Hungary in the EUSDR, highlighted that based on the positive feedback received from the participants of the event the discussion must be continued and that the member states count on the further involvement and leadership of Hungary in the future. The Deputy National coordinator also emphasized that the representatives of the European Commission and the experts present agreed that the implementation of the strategies is best served by the successful realisation of projects. In this regard Hungary can be a leading example, as it heads more than one fifth of the projects financed by the Danube Transnational Programme that covers 14 countries and mobilizes 250 million €.

The Informal Meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers was hosted by Malta, on 23 May. Agriculture Ministers agreed that the effective co-operation between the water and agricultural sector is essential in order to manage effectively the negative impacts of climate change.

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The Hungarian Minister of Agriculture, Sándor Fazekas reminded that the Common Agricultural Policy already contains numerous tools to reduce impacts of the climate change. The Minister said that during the discussion on the post-2020 CAP, it should not be ignored that EU farmers are considered as the most environmentally conscious producers in the world. Supporting climate and environment friendly agricultural practices - the so called “greening” - is a good and useful tool. However, some elements need to be coordinated in order to increase efficiency and improve their application. In designing the new CAP, it will be essential to find a balance between environmental sustainability and international competitiveness. Any further deepening of greening cannot contain elements that results simply in a decline of production and thus the decrease of farmers’ income.

Sándor Fazekas explained that the development of irrigation management could be a breakout for farmers, but the irrigation policy should be planned in accordance with the available water resources. Hungary's position is that the spread of water-efficient technologies in Europe can ensure that sustainable development goals are met. In addition, we can provide targeted answers to the challenges by using traditional non-genetically modified crops suitable for climatic conditions, such as the production of drought-tolerant crops and non-widely cultivated crops kept in gene banks. Sándor Fazekas informed ministers and the European Commission that the Hungarian Government encourages the development of drought monitoring and drought- warning systems to increase the safety of agricultural production.

According to the Minister, innovation is indispensable in agriculture, but the primarily industrial food production cannot be the only future alternative for EU farmers. Such innovative ideas should not be financed at the expense of the common values of the CAP, but only through the provision of additional EU funds.

Based on the aspects of climate change and sustainable development, greater role should be played at EU level in stimulating the production of agricultural raw materials and protein feed. In connection with the latter, the Minister of Agriculture said that the Hungarian Government considers essential to boost domestic soy production. In the medium and long term, we must abandon the practice of importing the bulk of the animal feed from third countries. Though this practice is currently economically profitable, it may lead to a serious dependence on uncertain external factors for the future - argued Sándor Fazekas.

He pointed out, that the aim of the Hungarian Government is that the two pillars of the CAP - complementing each other - ensure long-term development of domestic farmers and improve their competitiveness. To achieve any new objective, adequate additional resources from the EU's common budget should be provided.

During the informal meeting Sándor Fazekas had a bilateral meeting with Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. They discussed current agricultural issues, in particular the possible scenarios of the post-2020 CAP. The Hungarian Minister had the chance to exchange views on the same topics with the German, Austrian, Croatian and Irish agricultural ministers belonging to the European People's Party (EPP) and with the Polish President of the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The Council reached a general approach on a proposal for proportionality test for the regulation of professions and for the improved services notification procedure. State Secretary Krisztián Kecsmár emphasized that Hungary cannot support the notification proposal especially the introduction of the three month standstill period.

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Ministers agreed on a common position for reforming the European car approval rules, in order to prevent a repeat of the Dieselgate emissions scandal. The aim of the proposal to achieve an adequate level of safety and environmental performance of motor vehicles and to address the main shortcomings identified in the existing type-approval system. Member States agreed to increase the competence of the European Commission to carry out tests and inspections of vehicles to ensure they comply with the rules.

In the Council Conclusions the Ministers adopted during the meeting they called on the Commission to provide a holistic EU industrial policy strategy by early next year. They also discussed what priorities they would like the Commission focus on in this strategy. State Secretary Krisztián Kecsmár expressed Hungary’s Hungary supports a new, comprehensive medium-term European industrial strategy and action plan. In addition, he pointed out that it was important to carry out a comprehensive impact assessment with an economic point of view before adopting any legal proposal with environmental, climate or energy aspects.

Ministers had a further exchange of views about the progress on implementation of the Digital Single Market Strategy and Single Market Strategy. Commissioner Bieńkowska highlighted the importance of the prompt implementation of the strategies. State Secretary Krisztián Kecsmár confirmed that Hungary supports the creation of the European digital single market and the increased use of digital technologies in all sectors of the economy. Creating a strong cooperation in cyber security related questions between the EU Member States is one of our most important goals. We completely agree with the Commission and Member States that we can only enjoy the full benefits of the Single Market if we set ambitious goals. However, it is of utmost importance that legislative proposals have to respect the role of national parliaments as well as the limits set by the European Treaties.

Under the permanent competitiveness “check-up” agenda item ministers discussed the Single Market’s performance from a value chain perspective. State Secretary István Lepsényi highlighted our dependence on global markets and FDI, thus the need for improving investment environment in the EU. He agreed with a number of other ministers that the participation of SMEs in global chains had to be encouraged.

The Commission presented the results of the Fitness Check on EU Consumer and Marketing legislation published on 23 May. Supported by the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria, State Secretary Krisztián Kecsmár emphasized that the issue of dual quality of foodstuffs should be addressed and kept on the agenda as was confirmed by the European Council in March as well. He expressed his hope that the Commission will find an appropriate solution to this problem in future legislative proposals planned to be prepared based on the result of the Fitness Check. On behalf of the Commission, Vera Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender equality, committed herself to examine the problem thoroughly and to explore the possible solutions.

Ministers responsible for space policy had an exchange of view and adopted Council conclusions on the Space strategy for Europe, published by the Commission last autumn, following wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders and Member States. Ministers reinforced their commitment for continued cooperation for harnessing the opportunities space has to offer to the European economy and society, in particular the development of market uptake of space data, the continuation and enhancement the flagship programmes Copernicus and Galileo.

On the Research part of the Competitiveness Council ministers adopted conclusions on streamlining the research and innovation (R&I) monitoring and reporting landscape. The aim of the Council conclusions is to reducing the reporting burden in the monitoring of R&I performance and policies. In addition, its goal is also to decrease the overlaps in order to ensure that data collection is not an administrative burden for Member States.

The ministers also exchanged views on the economic rationale for public R&I funding and its impacts. The ministers agreed that research and innovation is a key driver for economic growth and productivity and plays a key role in tackling economic and societal challenges. Several ministers stressed the importance of adequate framework conditions, support to the whole innovation chain, boosting cooperation between academia and industry, the use of financial and fiscal tools, the European Added value and tackling societal challenges.

Ambassador Tibor Stelbaczky and Deputy Secretary of State Ákos Mernyei represented Hungary in the TTE Telecommunications Council on 9 June in Luxembourg.

The Ministers took stock of the progress made and held a policy debate on the review of the EU telecoms regulatory framework on the basis of a discussion paper prepared by the Maltese presidency. The discussion addressed topics related to two legislative proposals under the so called 'connectivity package' presented by the European Commission on 14 September 2016. The main proposal in the package is the draft 'European Electronic Communications Code', which merges four existing telecoms directives (Framework, Authorisation, Access and Universal service) in the form of a recast directive. The Commission also proposes updated rules for the body of European regulators BEREC.

In the debate, member states expressed their general support for the connectivity objectives in the proposals, which now emphasize very high speed connectivity for all. They find it important to promote investment and foster competition. Ministers generally agreed on the importance of a clear and transparent regulatory framework and good coordination to encourage private investment. As regards coordination for timely release of spectrum, member states find sharing of best practices the most useful way forward. Most member states agreed that the existing framework, including the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), could well support the required cooperation for spectrum management. There is no need to create additional layers of cooperation or turn BEREC into a European Agency.

In the debate, Hungary stressed that a clear and comprehensive framework is the prerequisite of investment certainty. Talking to the representatives of the industry, it is always among their first request to ensure investment certainty and not to change the different relevant legislation year-by-year. Investment certainty is very important, because it can contribute to the developments of the sector, which has a positive impact on our economies too. As far as the issue of coordination is concerned, we believe the current mechanisms work well. If we look at the Member State level, it is necessary to strike a right balance between government policies, the regulatory authorities, and the competent authorities. This should be handled primarily at national level. At EU level, there is also a need for proper coordination. In our opinion the current institutional framework functions well and it contributes to the developments of the ICT sector. We believe, that Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) and BEREC provides proper forum for exchanging best practices, therefore we think it is unnecessary to introduce significant institutional changes.

The Council reached a general approach on the proposal for cross-border parcel delivery services. The objectives of the proposal are to make markets work more effectively by making the regulatory oversight of the parcels markets more effective and to increase the transparency of tariffs in order to reduce unjustifiable tariff differences and to lower the tariffs paid by individuals and small businesses.

The Ministers took stock of the progress made on proposed new rules to ensure respect for private life and the protection of personal data in electronic communications (ePrivacy). The proposal aims to update current rules, extending their scope to all electronic communication providers and aligns the rules for electronic communications with the new world-class standards of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The presidency briefed ministers on the state of play of two other legislative files: 

The wholesale roaming regulation was published in the EU Official Journal on 9 June. Having this regulation in place was a pre-condition for the introduciton of the 'roam like at home' concept. Roaming fees can be abolished from 15 June 2017.

A political agreement was reached on the draft WiFi4EU regulation on EU-funded internet hotspots on 29 May. The objective is to have the WiFi4EU scheme ready as soon as possible, so that public sector bodies and citizens can quickly start benefiting from it. Budget issues relating to the mid-term review of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) will be finalised later.

Following the publication by the Commission of its mid-term review of the Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy on 10 May 2017, the Commission briefed ministers on the state of play of the strategy and the progress made so far as well as the next steps. The review takes stock of the progress made, calls on co-legislators to swiftly act on all proposals already presented, and outlines further actions on online platforms, data economy and cybersecurity. The Commission also referred to the latest Europe's digital progress report (EDPR). The report combines the quantitative data from the digital economy and society index (DESI), with country-specific policy insights, thus allowing to keep track of the progress made in terms of digitalization by each EU country.

The Commission briefed ministers on cybersecurity issues after the recent cyberattack where a wave of ransomware attacks impacted organizations and citizens across the globe. It was the first time where Member States exchanged information on cybersecurity incident within the mechanism for operational cooperation under the network and information security (NIS) Directive.

Lastly, the incoming Estonian presidency presented its telecommunications work programme for the first half of 2017.

Eleven Member States supported the joint German-Hungarian joint initiative on the signing of European Soy Declaration during the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held in Luxembourg on 12 June 2017.

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Deputy State Secretary for International Relations Katalin Tóth stressed that the Hungarian Government is committed to reduce import dependency on soy fodder in the medium and long term. This priority is based on the Hungarian Fundamental Law, which promotes GMO-free agriculture. Hungary emphasized its willingness to deliver high quality GMO-free proteins, tailored to market requirements and sustainable agriculture. Member States should take into account the growing demand for foods based on GMO-free soybeans and soy protein.

Katalin Tóth recalled that Dr. Sándor Fazekas, Hungarian Minister of Agriculture launched the "Alliance for a GMO-free Europe" initiative in January 2015. The signing of the Europe Soy Declaration will constitute a significant step in this initiative.

The declaration was supported by Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, which is a great success both for Germany and Hungary.

The declaration will be signed at the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels on the occasion of the next Agriculture and Fisheries Council in July.

The wholesale roaming regulation was published in the EU Official Journal on 9 June. Having this regulation in place was a pre-condition for the introduciton of the 'Roam like at home' concept. As school summer vacation is about to start, operators may only impose EU roaming surcharges in addition to domestic charges in specific cases. As of 15 June, no surcharge applies when making and receiving calls, sending SMS or using the internet on mobile phones across the European Union.

The Hungarian delegation expressed its concerns in respect of the current state of play of the preparation of the track and trace system foreseen by the tobacco products directive.

Although Hungary fully supports the objectives of the directive, as recent measures in this field clearly demonstrates how committed the government is to reduce tobacco consumption, we are worried that contrary to all the good intentions, the whole system will have a negative benefit/risk ratio, and instead of attaining good outcomes, unintended effect will dominate.

Although the EU is trying to introduce a track and trace scheme in a geographically limited area, this will not be the case in third countries that are important source of illegal tobacco products. We are very concerned that as a result of a costly system, legal tobacco becomes more expensive, which makes illegal products more attractive and increases citizen’s exposure to increasingly unsafe articles.

In addition, in our view there is a high risk that the system enables big tobacco industry players to squeeze out their small competitors not being capable of bearing the development and operational costs. Any solution that eliminates competition is not acceptable for us.

Having said that, we are very concerned that the short (possibly just a couple of months) remaining time before the system becomes operational can only be met by investing even higher costs, therefore a later introduction should be considered and increased attention should be paid to small market operators.

At the Council meeting, the ministers exchanged their views of the health aspects of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Hungary fully shares the objectives of providing timely access to high quality, affordable preventive and curative healthcare services; however, this principle does not need the Pillar to prevail. We are also concerned about the indicators that allow for benchmarking without taking into account the specific contexts where member states operate their healthcare systems. On the other hand, Hungary recognizes that there are specific areas (highly priced health technologies, public health countermeasures, health workforce mobility) where the EU can help member states to improve access to healthcare.

The Hungarian Government supports and welcomes the two council conclusions on childhood obesity and on voluntary healthcare cooperation. The latter document clearly recognizes the pressure on Central-Eastern European Countries affected by health workforce outflow and promotes cooperation on ethical recruitment practices.

During the Environment Council under the Maltese Presidency held on 19 June Ministers had a political debate on the rules for sectors (agriculture, transport, buildings, waste) outside of the EU emissions trading system post-2020 (Effort Sharing Regulation and LULUCF) and the international developments on the Paris Agreement.

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As to the Council conclusions adopted on the EU Action Plan for nature, people and the economy, Minister of State Zsolt V. Németh, head of the Hungarian delegation, emphasised that the effective implementation of nature conservation regulations remains a priority for Hungary.

The Ministers had an exchange of views in relation to the proposal on the sectors (agriculture, transport, waste, buildings) outside of EU ETS (Efforts Sharing Regulation) and to the proposal on the inclusion of emissions from land use and forestry (LULUCF) into the 2030 climate framework. The Maltese Presidency prepared a progress report, which received support by the majority of Member States. The political debate underpinned that the Members States remain divided over the outstanding political issues such as the safety reserve in the ESR proposal or the methodology for setting the forest reference level in the LULUCF proposal. Most of the Member States argued that robust, credible and transparent accounting rules are of capital importance. Many ministers emphasized that the aim is to reach a fair and balanced compromise agreement, however further technical negotiations are needed for this.

The Ministers held an exchange of views on the latest climate policy developments on the Paris Agreement, with special regard to USA withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Majority of Member States deeply regretted the fact that USA will exit from the Paris Climate Agreement. Many Ministers emphasized that the Paris Agreement is not renegotiable. In this context, many Ministers welcomed the Council Conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council on the same day. Most of them urged for an even stronger international alliance against climate change, including cooperation with the big emitters and the most vulnerable countries.

Ministers adopted Council conclusions on the EU Action Plan for nature, people and the economy, agreeing that more effective action is needed to achieve the EU's 2020 targets for halting and reversing biodiversity loss. In order to promote the achievement of the EU's nature conservation objectives, Minister of State State, Mr Zsolt V. Németh said that Hungary also considers the traceability and efficient use of nature conservation expenditures as well as the elaboration and implementation of nature conservation action plans important.

Mr V. Németh also held a bilateral meeting with the Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mr Karmenu Vella. The discussion touched upon, inter alia, changes to the legislative proposals affecting national waste management systems that form part of the so-called circular economy package and which was discussed at the Council. Mr V. Németh informed the EU Commissioner about the significant results achieved in the field of waste management, such as the significant reduction in landfilling and a dynamic growth in recycling. He also outlined the Hungarian concerns regarding the feasibility of the waste management targets outlined by the Commission, based on the results of an impact assessment carried out by an independent consultancy firm. The head of the Hungarian delegation emphasised the need to set realistic and achievable goals that take into account the specificities of Member States both in terms of the quantity and composition of waste generated and the utilisation of existing waste management capacities.

Poland informed Ministers about the project on “Development of Urban Adaptation Plans for cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants in Poland’ and adaptation to climate change in urban areas”.  The main objective of the project is to assess the sensitivity and vulnerability to climate change and to design priority adaptation activities adequate to the identified risks individually for each city.

Miguel Arias Cañete, climate and energy commissioner briefed ministers about the state of play of ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Commissioner called for the Members States swiftly conclude their national ratification process, so that the EU and its Member States could simultaneously deposit their ratification instrument before the COP23 climate conference.

From the 1st of July, Hungary is the Presidency of the Visegrad Group (Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary), which was taken over from Poland after one year. The historical cooperation dates back to 1335 to the meeting of the Kings in Visegrad. The official cooperation among the four countries started in 1991. 

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On the occasion of taking over the presidency, Tibor Stelbaczky, deputy Permanent Representative, Coreper I ambassador invited the V4 ambassadors to a working lunch at the Hungarian permanent Representation in Brussels.

Mr Stelbaczky said at the event, that we are trying to have common positions and pursue the coordination in all policies where possible and continue the preparatory work done by the Polish presidency in the last year. Moreover, ambassadors discussed issues such as the European Pillar of Social Rights, the posting Directive, the climate energy package and the mobility package.

Ambassadors agreed, that – following the successful tradition – meetings in the same setup will be held both at ambassador and at expert levels in order to find possible common positions or other forms of cooperation’s.    

The Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels hosted HUNGAstRY the second consecutive year. The main aim of the event, which was co-organised by the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture, was to introduce Hungarian wine regions and the essence of the Hungarian gastronomy to European decision-makers. This year the Balaton Wine Region had the opportunity to present its wines with eight different wineries.

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More than 200 guests attended the event, including ambassadors, agricultural diplomats, MEPs and also senior officials from the Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council.

Tibor Stelbaczky Deputy Permanent Representative highlighted in his opening speech, that the first HUNGAstRY was a great success, therefore the Hungarian Government would have liked to create a tradition with the event. He explained that Balaton is not just a region but rather a lifestyle for Hungarians.

Péter Gál Deputy State Secretary for the protection of origins, stressed that Hungarians are proud of their agricultural traditions and gastronomy. He pointed out that the purpose of the Protected Geographical Origin Program, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, was to increase the number of products declared for EU protection and to use the existing geographical indications in a better way.

Péter Tóth, the President of the Hungarian National Association of Mangalica Breeders introduced the history and characteristics of the Hungarian pig variety ’Mangalica’.

Wines were presented by sommelier Kristian Kielmayer. Ingredients for the dishes like spicy catfish stew, smoked trout, roasted Mangalica pork, beef tongue and grey beef goulash had all been delivered directly from Hungary.

Thanks to the support of the Office for the European Representation of Hungarian National Communities (HUNINEU), traditional Hungarian folk music was provided by the Liszt-Ferenc-Award winner musician, István Pál – a.k.a. Szalonna - and his band.

The second Hungarian Gastro Festival in Parc du Cinquantenaire is awaiting its visitors with concerts, fair of handcrafted products, various programs for children and the very best of Hungarian gastronomy on 8-9 July 2017.