"The 2012 budget is taking on the implementation of highly significant structural reforms on a scale never before seen", announced Viktor Orbán on Thursday in Budapest at the event held to mark the issuing of the 150 thousandth Széchenyi Card and the first Agrarian Széchényi Card. The Prime Minister stressed, "The role of agriculture has become more important as a result of the crisis within the EU, and so we now view agriculture as a key break-out point." "The development of the economy cannot occur purely for its own sake", said the Prime Minister, "it is only worth pursuing if it serves the interests of society."
The aim of the food chain monitoring tax is for those involved in the food chain to bear the required financial burdens at a more proportionate level. Within the present system, there are certain sectors (e.g. commerce), that – while consuming significant supervising authority resources – do not contribute to monitoring and supervision expenses. At the same time, other sectors bear disproportionately large burdens (e.g. the meat sector and slaughterhouses). The Ministry of Rural Development is reassessing the currently applicable food chain monitoring administration and service charges, as a result of which there will be less charged items and charges themselves will decrease in some areas. Overall, the financial burden borne by businesses will therefore not increase.
This year, the Environment Month's conference series once again promises a wide variety of interesting lectures. The initiative was launched in 2003 by the Cultural and Cooperation Department of the French Embassy, the French Institute and the Ministry of Rural Development.
The draft Waste Management Act will soon reach the government, and subsequently, parliament. The Ministry primarily recommends the reduction of the generation of waste – announced Zoltán Illés in Tiszaújváros.
Students from the University of Pannonia's Georgikon Faculty have formed the country's first university young farmers club with the support of AGRYA (the Hungarian Young Farmers' Association). The goal of the new club, formed in Keszthely, is for students to gain first hand experience regarding how agriculture works and the life of young farmers.
The National Land Fund Management Organisation (NLF) has begun publishing tenders for the leasing of state-owned land.
Parliament has accepted the Report on the state of the Agricultural Economy for 2010 by a large majority. The document was put before the Members of Parliament by the Minister of Rural Development, in accordance with regulations.
Hungary welcomes the holding of the first free and transparent elections in Tunisia. Through the high turnout serving the benefit of the process of democratisation, the Tunisian people again demonstrated their willingness and ability to shape their own future in a peaceful way.
The Ministry of Rural Development has extended the social debate on the utilization of frozen meat, so that it may come to know the opinion of everyone involved.
The UK and Hungary believe that moving to a low carbon economy is an important part of Europe's long term prosperity.
At a time when Governments are doing all they can to help boost growth, we should recognise how new low carbon energy sources and other green technologies can help stimulate investment.