Changing Europe

The European Union is interested in strong and efficient internal policy. 2011 will be a vital year in this regard because as the world changes, Europe also changes. There will be a number of issues on the agenda on which Member States will have to agree – under the guidance of the Hungarian Presidency. Such will be, among others, the review of the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), discussion of the Commission proposal on its budgetary situation, starting the debate on the future of cohesion policy, laying the foundations of the community energy policy, managing the challenges facing European climate policy and a debate on the future and development of the multi-annual financial perspectives.

The Union will be able to meet these new challenges if it builds upon the results of the EU policies achieved over the course of many decades, pays attention to their future, by updating and increasing their efficiency, and exploits the opportunities offered by the new policies stemming from either the changing world or the Lisbon Treaty. The objective of the Hungarian Presidency is to work in line with Community interests on strong political compromises in the area of changing European policies.

BACKGROUND

The 27 EU Member States cooperate closely in a number of areas. The objective of these internal policies is to make a single regulatory framework for issues that concern equally the population of the Member States, and that promote a balanced development in the EU. The internal policies are changing constantly, in accordance with European and global requirements. The revision of several internal policies will be on the agenda during the first half of 2011 as well: it will be the responsibility of the Hungarian Presidency to lead the debates related to such issues.

THE SIX MONTHS OF THE HUNGARIAN PRESIDENCY

The EU is interested in a strong and efficient internal policy. Its future and development will be determined by our common objectives, joint action and our commitment to the further development of EU policies. The transformation of the following policies will be on the agenda during the Hungarian Presidency:

1. Cohesion Policy: Economic, social and territorial cohesion is one of the most important fundamental elements of the Union that determines all areas of joint action.

The European Commission presented its 5th Cohesion Report in November, 2010, in which conclusions and recommendations of merit are expressed for the cohesion policy after 2013. The official discussions will start under the Hungarian Presidency at the Cohesion Forum to be held on 31 January-1 February, 2011. It is in the interest of all of us, and it is the objective of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council to make the Cohesion Policy function more efficiently, as the result of the debate.

The forms of macro-regional cooperation can strengthen cohesion and competitiveness within the EU. Fully adhering to EU frameworks and with more attention given to the regional features, they can be used to promote regional cooperation and development. The Hungarian Presidency wishes to promote the adoption of the European Strategy for the Danube Region in the first half of 2011, the launching of the implementation process, and the strengthening of the instrument of the European Territorial Cooperation Group in this spirit.

2. Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): The Member States will conduct talks, based on the 18 November recommendation of the European Commission on the future of the CAP, in the first half of 2011. The Hungarian Presidency will seek compromises that the Member States unanimously accept, with the purpose of maintaining and modernising the European agricultural model.

When identifying the set of tools and the objectives of the CAP reform, we must not forget about the increasing expectations of the public for maintaining predictable and safe food production. Agriculture produces not only food, but also public goods that cannot be recreated on the market bases, such as maintaining the landscape and rural lifestyle, providing important ecological services while offering the possibility to increase employment and to remedy demographic problems. Accordingly, besides subsidies serving production security, the rural development pillar of the CAP should also be enhanced.

3. Common Energy Policy: The objective of the EU is to create a single and efficient common energy policy. The focus will not be primarily on legislative action, but rather on the discussion of strategic dossiers.

The medium term Action Plan (2020) that will probably be adopted during the Hungarian Presidency serves the creation of a low CO2 emission European economy that provides a break-out point from the economic crisis. The objectives set forth in the Energy Efficiency Action Plan will be reviewed in 2011, and measures will be identified for implementation by 2020.

Furthermore, the dossiers forming the internal and external dimensions of energy security will also be on the top of the agenda, meaning the creation of the missing infrastructural relations and the issue of coordinated EU action.

4. Common Environmental and Climate Policy: Responsibility for future generations is one of the global elements of EU policies. Taking into consideration the outcome of the Cancún Summit in December, 2010, the Hungarian Presidency will pursue further issues of international and EU climate change policy.

Participation in the preparation of a new water policy in reaction to the changing climatic conditions is a priority issue in environment policy, where the Hungarian Presidency will emphasize the integrated management of extreme water-related phenomena, the role of eco-system services, and the need to enhance international cooperation.

Other tasks for the term will be: handling the issue of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), conducting the debate on the strategy for the protection of bio-diversity after 2010, carrying on sustainable resource management (the “Flagship Initiative” of the Europe 2020 Strategy), the evaluation of the 6th Environment Action Programme of the European Community, and the representation of the EU at the international environmental negotiations.

+1. The next multi-annual financial perspectives of the EU must be in line with ideas related to the future and the development of EU policies. The role of the Hungarian Presidency is to carry out the debates on internal policies in such a way that at the same time it also prepares the EU level debate on the new financial perspectives to be started in June, 2011.

OBJECTIVES

The Hungarian Presidency must work out strong political compromises that correspond to Community interests during the consultations on the changing EU policies. It is our common goal and responsibility to draw conclusions that could be the basis for the debate on the financial perspectives starting in 2014.