Szabolcs Takács, State Secretary for EU Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office received Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Dara Murphy on 22 February 2017. At the meeting, the parties reviewed issues related to the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU, the topics of migration, data protection and digitisation, and further exchanged views on employment and social issues and the future of the European Union.
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In the context of Brexit, Mr Takács said that Hungary has a vested interest in developing mutually advantageous cooperation with the United Kingdom which, following its departure from the community, will become Hungary’s number one trade partner outside the EU. The State Secretary pointed out that Hungary looks upon the preservation of unity within the EU27 as a priority, and wishes to formulate its position following the receipt of notification as part of the single EU position. Mr Takács stressed that the island state has the rights and obligations arising from EU membership until the day of its exit, including the obligations that lie with it in connection with the EU budget and the Multiannual Financial Framework. The State Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office additionally underlined that the protection of the acquired rights of the Hungarians living in Britain is an important interest for Hungary. Dara Murphy said that in Dublin, too, they see the continued free movement of the 1.6 million Irish nationals living in the United Kingdom as a priority interest, and his Government will therefore make every effort to maintain the Common Travel Area between the two countries which is also one of the cornerstones of the Northern-Ireland peace process.
Dara Murphy informed his Hungarian counterpart that Ireland appreciates the necessity of the cohesion funds, and a competitive Europe favours not only the beneficiary Member States, but the Western Member States as well. In agreement with the Irish Minister of State, Mr Takács highlighted that the Western Member States, too, must see that the developments implemented in the cohesion countries also generate profits for the large EU Member States.
Mr Takács said regarding the migration crisis: Europe must face a long-term crisis, rather than a mere temporary one. Hungary has stressed right from the beginning the protection of the external borders and the management of the external aspects of migration. Dara Murphy indicated that the Irish Government, too, takes the view that the local management of the problems would greatly contribute to promoting the resolution of the migration crisis.
The parties mutually pointed out that their respective governments pay particular attention to the issue of digitisation, and support the creation of the European Digital Single Market as an essential contributing factor to the improvement of the European Union’s competitiveness. Hungary wishes to contribute to this by urging the promotion of the digitisation of industry also at EU level. Mr Takács highlighted that Hungary organised a successful Regional Digital Summit last November with the participation of political decision-makers and industry representatives from the V4 countries, Germany and Austria. The most important goal of the summit was to promote the automotive industry cooperation of the participating countries in the area of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. The parties also agreed that there is no need for any further EU fiscal harmonisation in the interest of promoting digitisation. In this context, they established that it is important to protect the Member States’ fiscal sovereignty.
Mr Takács highlighted that, as far as the Hungarian party is concerned, the initiative for the establishment of the European pillar of social rights will be one of the most disputed topics this year. He stressed that the enhancement of the EU’s competitiveness should be one of the most important criteria during the course of the debates on proposals concerning employment and social policy. A number of Member States adopt a contrary, protectionist approach, and consequently, a sharp divide emerged between the “old” and “new” Member States also during the course of the ongoing review of the Posted Workers Directive. The parties underlined that it would be necessary to take the interests of all the Member States into consideration instead.
Mr Takács said that competitiveness must be ensured also upon the establishment of the energy union. This is one of the reasons why Hungary is expressly opposed to the proposal in which the European Commission seeks to eliminate price regulation in the case of electricity. The State Secretary stressed that, upon the intensification of the EU’s energy policy, the Member States must have the right to freely determine their own energy mixes, including the utilisation of nuclear energy.
Regarding the future of the European Union, Mr Takács said that the enlargement of the EU with the countries of the Western Balkans, too, is among Hungary’s priorities.
(MTI/kormany.hu)
