Hongarije ontvangt Commissie voor overdracht voorzitterschap en gemeenschappelijke vergadering (en)

Hungary has officially been President of the EU Council i since 1 January 2011, but will actually take over its position at the highest ranking ceremonies on 6 and 7 January. It will solemnly receive the Presidency Flag from Belgium, and on the next day the Commission and the Hungarian Government will hold a joint session.

Traditionally, the highest ranking event of rotating presidencies is the Commission’s visit to the next incumbent country on the initial day; including a meeting with the Government to discuss the agenda for the following six months.

In line with the high-profile nature of the event, the takeover of the Presidency Flag is expected to be attended by Head of State Pál Schmitt Prime Minister Viktor Orbán i, all Government ministers, Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the House,presidents and heads of parliamentary groups of all parliamentary parties, and the entire Commission headed by President José Manuel Barroso i. The ceremony will be attended by the entire diplomatic corps in Budapest.

On 7 January the Commission and the entire Hungarian Government will hold a joint session in the Parliament. This will be followed by a meeting between Mr Viktor Orbán and Mr José Manuel Barroso. According to preliminary plans, the discussion will revolve around the EU’s economic governance, including the economic policy coordination cycle called European Semester, and the summit of 4 February 2011. A further subject will be the Hungarian Media Act.

The Ministers and Commissioners of the Hungarian Government will discuss in five working groups the issues lying ahead of the EU during the first semester.

The Hungarian Ministers and Brussels Commissioners will continue their talks during a business lunch. They are expected to discuss the extension of the EU and of the Schengen i Area, the Eastern Partnership i, the Roma Policy, the Single Market Act aimed at economic enhancement and employment generation, the Small Business Act, the future of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Policy.

Mr Orbán and Mr Barroso will hold a joint international press conference to report on the talks between the Commission and the Hungarian Government.

After the meeting of the Commission and the Government, the joint building of the Commission’s Hungarian Representation and the European Parliament’s Information Bureau in Budapest will be inaugurated. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be attended by Mr Barroso, Mr Orbán and Mr Stavros Lambrinidis i, Vice-President of the European Parliament.