Hongaars voorzitterschap: bereikte resultaten van eerste helft 2011 moeten behouden blijven (en)

“More Europe” is the right answer when facing the current challenges; and at the same time, we need to preserve the Union’s existing achievements, said Foreign Minister János Martonyi, evaluating the Hungarian Presidency at the foreign policy institute Chatham House in London, on 22 June 2011.

János Martonyi reminded the audience that the Presidency's primary objective had been to work for a stronger Europe. The Foreign Minister said that this explains why the agreement on the six-law package on economic governance, was a key goal. He said that once Member States reached a compromise, the Presidency did its best to win the European Parliament’s (EP) support for the draft.

The Foreign Minister named the European Semester, a coordination mechanism for economic policy, the reinforcement of cohesion and agricultural policy, and the launch of the European energy policy, as further priorities for the Hungarian Presidency. He pointed out that a uniform energy market will be established by 2014, and the missing links between the internal gas and electricity lines will be created by 2015.

The June session of the European Council is expected to endors the European Framework for Roma Integration Strategies at the highest level, Mr Martonyi stressed; and added that the EU’s coordination in the field of education, job creation, housing and healthcare represented an added value to the national Roma strategies.

Also, heads of state and government will probably support the Danube Region Strategy on 23-24 June, emphasised Mr Martonyi.

We are very close to completing the accession talks with Croatia; Mr Martonyi affirmed and added that the Presidency relied on the support of Member States in this respect. The Foreign Minister has called it a success, when the Council found Romania and Bulgaria in compliance with the technical conditions for accession to the Schengen zone, during Hungary’s term of Presidency.

János Martonyi spelled out some changes affecting the rotating Presidency, which arose when the Lisbon Treaty came into force in December 2009.

The Foreign Minister noted that the Hungarian Presidency has managed several unforeseeable challenges. As examples he mentioned the handling of the North African migration, the steps made for nuclear security after the catastrophe in Japan.

The newly established European External Action Service (EEAS), has abolished much of the rotating Presidency’s role in foreign policy, but experience shows that the Presidency must greatly contribute to the management of such unforeseeable events, Mr Martonyi said as a lesson learned during the term of Presidency. He added that the reason is because a number of policy fields, such as energy, asylum policy and humanitarian cooperation, had a considerable external dimension.

During his speech at Chatham House, the Hungarian Foreign Minister praised the activity of Catherine Ashton i, High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. Although the EEAS was set up slower than expected, Ms Ashton did a great job despite the circumstances, Mr Martonyi said.