Hungary’s Presidency of the Council of the EU: An Important Step toward a Truly Strong Union

The program of the Hungarian EU presidency, which will start on July 1, is an investment in the future of the EU that draws on the real needs of citizens and current realities to build a post-federal Union based on a Europe of strong nations, while at the same time seeking to reassert the EU’s geopolitical weight.

In recent years, the EU has drifted in a more centralized direction based on ideological conformity, often pursuing policies with little strategic foresight to its own detriment.

Hungary has a different vision for the EU and has based its presidency objectives on the realities of the EU and the voice of EU citizens, including priorities like a strict migration policy, a greater role for the EU in guaranteeing European security, and a stronger position vis-à-vis global competitors.The presidency of the Council of the EU is important not only because it puts the country holding the position in the spotlight of the EU for six months, but also because it allows that country to shape the political agenda at the European level.

The presidency chairs the meetings of the Council, committees and working groups (except the Foreign Affairs Council), where legislation is discussed and adopted by the member states.

The presidency is responsible for maintaining continuity in the EU’s political agenda, cooperation between member states and coordination with the EU institutions. It also organizes formal and informal meetings where it can effectively shape policy priorities and raise issues that have received less attention.

So, every six months, the EU presidency brings new dynamism, new energy and with it new priorities to the EU’s work.

Each presidency focuses on issues that are important to the country holding the position and on which it has strong expertise.

Hungary has designed its presidency program to focus on the real internal and external problems facing the European Union today.

The EU’s geopolitical weight has weakened recently—it cannot keep pace with the major players in the global market, economically or in terms of competitiveness. It is unable to deal effectively with the issue of migration—internally (with member states closing internal borders with each other rather than tightening external borders) or externally (with closer cooperation needed with origin and transit countries).

It is struggling with the problems of emigration and an aging population, while labor shortages are growing and the willingness to have children is declining.Despite being one of the EU’s most successful projects, the enlargement policy has lost credibility among applicant countries. The EU is failing to integrate the Western Balkans, even though the region is strategically one of the most important for the EU.

From the migration crisis point of view, this region is a transit zone, and from an economic perspective, it is essential to create a more coherent and interoperable economic area. These countries are also affected by emigration, so working closely with them would be a more effective way to tackle the problem.

It is in the EU’s fundamental strategic interest that none of the powers in the region should become hegemonic, as this would have a major impact on stability and peace in the region. For this reason, a merit-based and credible enlargement policy is needed—one that is effective in the case of those states that wish to join.

Neither arms supplies to Ukraine nor the Western sanctions are working. The situation in Ukraine has shown the weakness and unpreparedness of European defense.

As well as being a close partner of defense alliances, the EU needs to play a much greater role than it does now in organizing, securing and maintaining its own defense. Defense innovation and procurement cooperation can play an important role here.

The problems of extreme weather conditions, agricultural imports from third countries, food security and self-sufficiency are all signs that agricultural policy also needs reform.

Reforms must emphasize that the problems arising from climate change are not caused by agriculture, but that it is proper, sustainable and efficient agriculture that can provide the solution to dealing with it. This cannot, however, be without the proper involvement of farmers in tackling the problem.

During its rotating EU presidency, Hungary will have an opportunity to make the issues that are important to it political priorities. EU citizens themselves have paved the way to make progress on these issues and build a better future for the EU.

The European Parliament elections held in the month before the start of the EU presidency showed how citizens feel about EU decisions and whether they vote for liberal-left or conservative, sovereigntist political forces on the right.

The results showed that a significant proportion of European voters said no to a hasty green transition and related measures, and, although in different ways, also rejected the current handling of the migration issue.

In most European countries, these two issues were the ones that drew voters to the polling booths. Hungary has integrated these issues into its presidency program and will work with other member states to implement an EU program that respects people’s interests over the next six months.

In addition to identifying seven key priorities, which are important issues for both the Hungarian government and EU citizens, the program itself can be seen as an important step towards a post-federal union.

With the results of the EP elections showing that EU citizens are also much more critical of the liberal-left orientation, it is clear that there is both the potential and the need for a right turn. How this will be reflected in the individual party families is another question.

Hungary needs to ensure stability during this transitional period until the new Parliament is established, the President of the European Commission is elected and the new Commissioners take their seats.

The Hungarian EU presidency, therefore, faces no small challenges, but its program is a significant investment in moving away from federalism to build a strong Europe of strengthened nations, in close cooperation with the member states.