Lidstaten positief over programma Hongaars EU-voorzitterschap (en)

Minister of State for EU Affairs Ms Eniko Gyori presented the programme of the Hungarian Presidency. At the Informal Meeting of Ministers and Secretaries of State for EU Affairs, member states welcomed the programme and found its objectives feasible.

Presidency wishes to build a strong Europe according to its motto, explained Ms Gyori. Not just Europe but Member States too should get stronger, she added. At the first informal meeting of the semester, the Minister of State declared that the Hungarian Presidency would work to help member states reach an agreement on all matters.

The meeting in Gödöllo gathered Ministers and Secretaries of State for EU Affairs from the EU-27 at the Presidency’s invitation along with Mr Maroš Šefcovic, European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration. The participants welcomed the Hungarian Presidency’s programme and found its goals feasible. They agreed that the implementation of the economic governance reform was a fundamental condition for fighting the crisis and boosting European economy and that full success called for the completion of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The Hungarian Presidency and several Member States made special mention of the achievements of the Belgian Presidency in the field of enlargement policy and expressed hope that Croatia could soon join the EU.

Member States emphasised that the motto “Strong Europe” was an appropriate expression of the Hungarian Presidency’s objectives. Precisely for this reason, they praised plans to develop a Roma Strategy and to adopt the Danube Strategy. They believed Europe could only be strong if it creates a strong union through internal cohesion along with solidarity and cooperation between Member States.

At the informal meeting, Member States discussed the preparation for the Energy Summit to be held in February.