Madame Ambassador

Ágnes Vargha is Hungary’s only woman ambassador to the EU institutions. The economist, boasting a broad international experience, is still awed by the diversity of the community of European countries and is inspired by the joint diligence with which these states seek the “common denominator” along which they can harmonise their values and interests.

“During the course of the association and later the accession negotiations, I saw that Europe stood for something wonderful and austere for all those who could share in it. Today it is about everyday work, tasks and a series of challenges to be solved; so instead of expectations, it is about the reality, the opportunity to realise all the hopes we had. We have come a long way” – says the Ambassador.

Today, all those who have worked for our EU membership know more clearly than ever that a strong and united Europe is important for Hungary, as this is the only way we can assert our national interests in a globalising world.

For Ágnes Vargha, the fact that women are also active participants in the decision-making is a proof of the strength and diversity of the European Union; this is evident from the higher number of women among top management and politicians compared to Hungary. She is of the opinion that the contribution made by women to economic and social development, in managing everyday and long-term perspectives, is outstandingly important and not only in women’s traditional fields. A good example of this is the range of issues she has to discuss and decide on with representatives of the 26 other Member States and members of the European Parliament – from the regulation on road-toll stickers for trucks, through the establishment of a European satellite navigation system to animal health issues.

Ágnes Vargha put her skills to work in the interest of Hungary at accession talks with the OECD and the IMF. She has been working at her current position in Brussels for four years. She is the mother of two adult sons, who work in Hungary, and is twice grandmother.