In accordance with the European Commission’s Communication published on 1 April 2011, the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will also seek greater emphasis on critical information infrastructure protection in the future across Europe and in the world at the Telecom Ministerial Conference hosted in Balatonfüred, Hungary, on 14-15 April 2011.
“Multinational cooperation has an increasing role in capability development. Joint effort may generate significant capabilities unattainable by national resources.” Róbert Kádár, Deputy Head of Armament and Quartermaster Office said in his opening remarks at the conference held at Stefánia Palace Cultural Centre, Budapest on 5 April.
The European Commission presented its views on a feasible European framework for the national Roma strategies on 5 March 2011, in Strasbourg. At the plenary session, the Presidency welcomed the Commission’s proposal. Beforehand, the European Parliament expressed its opinion on the topic as well.
“We are pleased with the first three months of the Hungarian Presidency and are preparing for the next three months with unchanged commitment and dynamism,” Minister of State for EU affairs, Enikő Győri, said receiving a delegation of the European Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, led by Deputy Chairman, Gérard Voisin, during a visit to Budapest on 4 April 2011.
György Matolcsy has replied to Olli Rehn
Education Ministers discussed active citizenship education, and related educational policy objectives, at an informal meeting in Gödöllő, on 29 March 2011. Acting as the chair of the meeting, Minister of State Rózsa Hoffmann, pointed out, “We must answer the question, to whether our educational systems prepares the youth appropriately, to become active and responsible citizens.”
It is essential for the healthcare systems to be upgraded; and healthcare professionals should have better working conditions, stressed Minister of State for Healthcare, of the Ministry of National Resources, Miklós Szócska, in an interview to eu2011.hu prior to the informal min-isterial meeting which began on 4 April.
The Hungarian Presidency wishes to emphasise the role of family policy when addressing demographic challenges, Minister for National Resources, Miklós Réthelyi, declared at the Informal Meeting of Ministers for Demography and Family Policy Issues, in Gödöllő on 1 April 2011.
In view of the Informal Ecofin on April 8-9 in Gödöll, the Hungarian Presidency organised a high-level economic policy seminar at the end of March around the topic “economic growth and fiscal consolidation”. Lead speakers (from Bruegel Institute, the World Bank and the EBRD; and a former Swedish member of the Economic and Financial Committee) addressed the challenges Europe is facing at a time when fiscal consolidation needs to be pursued with determination, while post-crisis growth needs to be safeguarded and strengthened. The main findings of the seminar are as follows.
“Today Europe needs Cohesion Policy more than ever,” declared Minister for National Development Tamás Fellegi at the high-level conference on the future of Cohesion Policy held on 31 March – 1 April, 2011 in Budapest. The two-day conference was one of the highlights of the six-month Hungarian Presidency. The organisers wish to raise dialogue on this issue to a higher level in order to promote success in Cohesion Policy, cut the red tape, improve its implementation efficiency and make its achievements measurable.