The awards were presented to the winners of the Hungarian round of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards competition by Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga.

From among 19 Hungarian applicants, two were shortlisted to advance to the European round: the Labour Centre of the Békés County Government Office in the category of Improving Business Environment, and the Nyír-Dinamika Ipari, Kereskedelmi és Szakképző Kft in the category of Responsible and Inclusive Entrepreneurship.

In his speech, the Minister stressed that enterprises eager to work for the country’s common good are “essential” to the success of Hungary. These businesses have been carrying the weight of the Hungarian economy’s advancement, he added. Mihály Varga said that 99 percent of Hungarian businesses are either micro, small or medium-sized enterprises. In 2011, 73 percent of people employed were on the payrolls of the private sector, the added value they provided was 55 percent of GDP, while their share of total exports was 26 percent.

In the opinion of the Minister for National Economy, the Hungarian economic situation is increasingly encouraging, but the results achieved so far can only be maintained if the Government continues to support enterprises through expansion plans that are in harmony with the Government’s economic objectives.

As Mihály Varga stressed, this was the seventh time that Hungary had participated in the presentation of the Awards. “We have joined [the initiative], because we wish to demonstrate that those who contribute to the country’s success can expect help from the Government,” he said.
He also reminded those present that the 2011 European winner of the Responsible and Inclusive Entrepreneurship category was Hotel Panda, an enterprise that mostly employs disabled people, and the international jury also honoured the Széchenyi Card Programme with a special award in 2007.

From among this year’s awardees, the Labour Centre of the Békés County Government Office earned the right to advance to the European round with its entry entitled Working out the Stimulation and Funding of the New Enterprises Scheme on the Basis of Belgian, Portuguese and French models.

The Government Office assists unemployed people and persons with social disadvantages to start their own businesses. Fifteen out of the eighteen people who have participated in the programme have launched their own enterprise and the remainder of them have begun work as small farmers. Four people among those who have become entrepreneurs have already created new jobs.

The award entry entitled Improving Business Environment, Social Equality, Inclusion and Competitive Knowledge earned Nyír-Dinamika Kft a place in the European round.

The accredited adult education institution teaches trainees in forty different professions. Until recently, more than 3700 trainees have obtained qualifications after completing courses. The efficiency of the programme is aptly demonstrated by the fact that at less than 5 percent the share of school drop-outs is below the nationwide average. The All-European Awards will be announced at the end of this year in six categories in Lithuania, the country to hold the EU’s rotating presidency.

(Ministry for National Economy)