The term of Hungary’s Presidency in the EU completes
Ambassador of the Republic of Hungary in Latvia Gabor Dobokay at the meeting at his residency in Riga summed up for BC the semi-annual presidency of Hungary in EU’s Council. The term will end on June 30, 2011.
A short evaluation of the main results of the last six monthsThe Hungarian Presidency’s main achievements:
Helping to put Europe’s economy back on track
Economic Governance package of six legislative proposals (Based on agreement in the Council, we have found agreement on all 2000+ amendments proposed by the Parliament, but one issue, which is still under discussion. However, we cannot exclude the possibility of resolving it during our Presidency.)
Successful completion of the first ever European Semester
In order to strengthen financial markets, we have achieved an agreement in Council on the Short Selling Regulation, on the Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive (DGSD) and on the Single Euro Payments Area Regulation (SEPA). We have also found final agreement with the European Parliament on the Financial Conglomerates Directive (FICOD) and on Cross-border transport of Euro Cash.
We are planning to close accession negotiations with Croatia during our Presidency.
Success with Croatia creates a visible momentum for driving enlargement in the whole Western Balkans. In this regard, we paid special importance to chairing the Western Balkans Forum upon the mandate given by the High Representative.
Today, we have achieved progress on accession negotiations with Iceland opening four chapters and already temporarily closing two.
Concerning our neighbourhood, we welcome the Council conclusions on the European Neighbourhood Policy, where a good balance has been found between the attention to the Southern and to the Eastern dimension.
We have achieved Council conclusions on the Schengen evaluation for Romania and Bulgaria stating that both countries implement all provisions of the Schengen acquis. Considering the tension in this file at the beginning of our Presidency, this is an achievement that nobody thought would be feasible.
Comprehensive legislative answer to the migration challenges in the Southern Mediterranean (agreement on the pan-European rules of origin, agreement on Frontex Regulation, agreement on review of EIB credit mandate, adoption of regulation on IT Agency for the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice IT systems)
Endorsement by the European Council of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region
Council conclusions on the EU framework for national Roma integration strategies up to 2020 and endorsement by the European Council of the Presidency’s report on Roma inclusion
Adoption of conclusions on the Energy Strategy and Energy Infrastructure priorities (as foreseen and endorsed by the February European Council)
Adoption of the Energy Roadmap 2050
Agreement with the European Parliament on the Regulation on Energy Market Integrity and Transparency (REMIT) to be confirmed by Coreper.
Enhanced cooperation on unitary patent (with the general approach agreed today in Council)
Agreement on the Consumer Rights Directive
Conclusions on the Single Market Act defining the main priorities for action
Conclusions on the future of Cohesion Policy
Presidency conclusions on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy
Agreement by the Council on revised rules against cybercrime and on political guidelines on the Regulation on Succession.
No matter how well we plan in advance, there is always that extra element which makes or breaks a presidency. This is our ability to react to unexpected events and manage the unpredictable. Looking back at the past, each and every presidency has been forced to react to crises. We have prepared for this and created a flexible working structure for the Presidency. The unpredictable events did indeed come, stronger and more plentiful than anyone could have expected. The European Union has reacted quickly and effectively to the events in the Eurozone, Japan and in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), and even where we only had a small role to play in these answers, we are proud of it.
The events in the Eurozone, the aftermath of the financial and economic crisis, events in Japan and the MENA have required quick action and determination from the Presidency:
EurozoneEvents during our Presidency in Portugal and Greece have confirmed the need for a comprehensive European response, giving even more emphasis to our work on the Economic Governance and the European Semester.
MENA Upon the biggest challenge to the Schengen system arising due to the North African migration crisis, we have been able to channel it into the work of the Council without creating irresolvable splits among the Member States.We have passed several rounds of sanctions regarding Libya, Syria, Yemen and Egypt. The first round of sanctions has been adopted under our guidance by record speed.
We have acted immediately on possible migration pressures. In line with the tasks defined by the European Council, the Presidency has defined a structured approach to short and long-term migration challenges in the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Together with the Commission, we started a structured debate with the countries in the region to tackle the problem.
Upon tasking by the European Council, we have achieved the necessary policy responses (agreement on the pan-European rules of origin, agreement on Frontex Regulation, agreement on review of EIB credit mandate, adoption of regulation on IT Agency for the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice IT systems)
On behalf of the Presidency, János Martonyi has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in cooperation with the Commission for Libya and for Japan. The Hungarian Embassy in Tripoli has been representing the EU, coordinating between Member States, facilitating the release of several journalists and reporting to the High Representative. For its work it has been praised by the High Representative and by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, János Martonyi and occasionally ministers of state have represented the EU towards third countries upon the mandate of the High Representative on 17 occasions at international meetings. MENA and Japan
We have called an extraordinary Energy Council, to deal with energy security challenges and carried on the work in the respective council working group. We have avoided the escalation of the debate and channelled it into a structured discussion on nuclear safety.
E-coliWe have called and extraordinary meeting of agricultural minsters to react to the outbreak of E.coli bacteria cases, thus facilitating short-term measures and again avoiding an irresolvable split between the Member States.
The legislative files closed during our Presidency:This document is too short to list all the legislative and non-legislative files that we closed. during our Presidency, but here are a few numbers to illustrate the volume of the work: in total 103 files have been solved, out of these 43 OLP legislative files with the European Parliament (20 in 1st reading, 6 in 2nd reading and 1 in 3rd reading) and 60 Council or Presidency conclusions have been adopted.
Gabor Dobokay, Ambassador of the Republic of Hungary in Latvia, Riga, 30.06.2011, Baltic-course.com
