Marcell Biró, State Secretary of Public Administration and Justice opened the workshop “How do regions prepare for the 2014-2020 budget period?” in Brussels today organised by the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice along with H4- HunOR Office. The guests were greeted by Tamás Deutsch, MEP.

The State Secretary said it is a common European interest to work together and preserve the EU’s strengths and increase its global competitiveness. As a tool for boosting competitiveness and enhancing the quality of life of the European citizens, the EU started several programmes that aim at promoting development in several fields, such as research and innovation, protection of the nature, development of interconnected and smart transport systems. He emphasized the importance of the Hungarian counties to utilise all these possibilities.

He added Hungary committed to simplify the current system, therefore the number of Operative Programmes have been reduced from the current 15 to 8 covering aquaculture, environmental protection and energy efficiency, human resources, economic development and innovation, integrated transport, territorial development and spatial planning, rural development and the territory of Central Hungary. Most of the resources will be spent for the promotion of employment – 12 000 billion Hungarian forints, the double compared to the current financial period. 60% of the resources will be spent for the promotion of economic development and sustaining the small-and –medium sized enterprises.

The Brussels-based H4 Office- supports the Hungarian counties in EU matters and started to operate in 2012. The main services of the office include grant opportunities, cooperations, partnerships and policy information and representation. The Office aims at contributing to the counties’ preparation for the 2014-2020 budget period and connected EU programmes, to making contacts and stimulate joint thinking and development with the help of this workshop.

In connection with the forthcoming 2014-2020 budget period the Office considers it important to establish the base for efficient use of financial opportunities for beneficiaries. In order to achieve these goals, the instruments to be applied are: gathering new experience, establishment of efficient communication with other regional organisations and representations.

The participants of the workshop included Hungarian MEPs, members of the Hungarian Delegation of the Committee of the Regions, Hungarian EGTCs, representatives of the European Commission’s Directorate General of Regional and Urban Policy, Hungarian experts and Brussels-based regional representations.

Among the regional representations the delegation of Baden-Württemberg, Valencia, House of Dutch Regions and the Office of Region Lodzkie presented their experience and preparation plans for the period 2014-2020.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)