Szabolcs Takács, State Secretary for EU affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office had a meeting in Budapest with his French counterpart, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Désir, regarding the most important challenges the EU is facing on 7 November 2016.

Mr Takács underlined at his meeting with his French counterpart: we believe it is important that the countries of Western-Europe should look upon the EU Member States of the Central- and Eastern-European region as partners in the joint search for solutions related to the future of Europe and the challenges which the European Union is facing, including the Visegrád Four which represent an added value also through the observance of the economic and migration laws of the European Union in the interest of both the EU’s economic competitiveness and growth and the protection of the safety of EU citizens.

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Harlem Désir and Mr Takács agreed that, in the context of the joint contemplation regarding Brexit and the future of the EU, it is a common interest that such solutions be conceived which help to repeatedly reinforce Europe’s global competitiveness.

Regarding the migration crisis, the parties agreed that it is necessary to pay particular attention to the external dimension of migration, as part of which the agreements concluded with third countries (migration compacts) will be viable if the interests of both the EU and the relevant partner countries are reflected therein. The Hungarian State Secretary said in the context of the Member State conflicts that emerged in connection with the migration crisis: one of the main reasons for the European disputes is that we failed to lay down at the beginning of the crisis that we must clearly distinguish asylum-seekers who are entitled to international protection from economic migrants. Mr Takács stressed in connection with solidarity and responsibility: Hungary has proved that it takes part with its own means in the protection of the external borders of the EU, and consequently, of the whole of Europe, and in the management of the crisis.

Regarding the fundamental freedoms related to the internal market, State Secretary Takács told his counterpart: we find it regrettable that the European Commission disregarded the objections presented by the national parliaments of eleven Member States in connection with the proposed amendment of the Directive on the posting of workers as part of the provision of services. Instead, the objective would be to reach a compromise that takes the interests of all the Member States into consideration.

The French Secretary of State expressed his thanks for the fact that Hungary was the first among the EU Member States to ratify the Paris Climate Agreement. The parties agreed that, during the course of the intensification of the EU’s energy policy, the Member States must be allowed to preserve their right to determine their own energy mix, including the use of atomic energy.

(Prime Minister's Office)