Written answers

Thursday, 20 January 2011

Department of Foreign Affairs

EU Presidency

5:00 am

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 12: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the priorities set by the Hungarian Presidency for the period up to the end of June 2011. [2850/11]

Photo of Brian CowenBrian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Hungary assumed the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for the first time on 1 January. The Hungarian government met the Commission on 7 January in Budapest to discuss its Presidency programme. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented the priorities to the European Parliament yesterday (19 January). The Hungarian Presidency is placing a strong emphasis on coping with the economic and financial crisis, improving governance to avoid any recurrence, and working together to improve Europe's competitiveness and thus its share of future global growth. These are priorities which Ireland shares and we look forward to working in the next 6 months on the design of the future European Stability Mechanism (ESM), to reaching agreement on the package of six legislative proposals designed to strengthen the framework for economic governance, and to making our contribution to the European Semester process. This is being introduced for the first time and brings a greater EU dimension to fiscal and budgetary planning and to necessary structural reforms. Many of these fall within the Europe 2020 agenda which the Hungarian programme aims to push on with.

Budapest is also placing a strong emphasis on energy policy over the coming six months. EU leaders will convene for a European Council meeting dedicated to energy and innovation on 4 February. The Hungarian Presidency will maintain the enlargement process, seeking to conclude negotiations with Croatia, and continuing with Turkey and Iceland. The Presidency intends to host an Eastern Partnership Summit next May in Budapest. Hungary is also seeking to reach agreement on a European Framework for National Roma Integration strategies.

The priorities identified by the Hungarian Presidency are well-chosen, grounded in the longer term EU goals and correspond to areas where Ireland sees scope for synergy between EU and national actions. The Hungarian Presidency can be assured of our cooperation in working to achieve these objectives.

The modification of the EU treaties has introduced changes to the way the rotating Presidency must operate. The responsibility of chairing a very wide range of Council sessions and of working group meetings is very demanding and requires good preparation. A Presidency now has to factor in a European Parliament that is more assertive and has more competence as co-legislator. Coordination is crucial to success with the EU agenda and a Presidency needs in this regard to establish close working relations with the President of the European Council and with High Representative Ashton. These are all aspects on which we need to reflect as our own Presidency in the first half of 2013 draws closer.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.