The European Union Spain-Belgium-Hungary Trio Presidency presents its Programme at the “It’s Our Turn” conference on January 29

In his introductory statement, Foreign Minister Péter Balázs pointed out that implementation of the programme had started with the Spanish presidency. He noted that ours is the third trio in the EU’s history, but the first amidst new circumstances, working as it does within the framework of the Lisbon Treaty and with a joint programme.

In his view – the Foreign Minister added – the Trio Programme provided good responses to the challenges facing the EU. Among the most important tasks he mentioned were boosting the EU’s competitiveness, EU level harmonisation of the strategies to overcome the economic crisis, addressing problems associated with climate change as well as solving issues connected with energy supply. These must be financed from the EU’s 2014-2020 budget, and Hungary’s presidency will play a crucial role in doing the groundwork.

Mr Balázs spoke of future tasks, including accession negotiations of Western Balkan states and Turkey. He emphasised that applicants must fulfil the criteria while the European Union must “keep its word” and proceed with negotiations accordingly. To incorporate the present Eastern Partnership Programme members, the EU must have long-term future vision, which needs development from both sides.

In his concluding remarks, the Foreign Minister considered one of the most serious tasks before the Trio the capability to handle unexpected events to the maximum effect possible.

The Spanish State Secretary in charge of European Affairs Diego López Garrido, started his speech by thanking the invitation to the event. He stressed the paramount importance of the Trio cooperation in a time when we are assisting to the third great foundational stage in the history of the European Union, in a context of globalization, multipolarity and fight against a global economic crisis.

The adoption of the common programme, logo and webpage are good examples of cooperation among the Trio member states. The Programme of the Trio Presidency of the Council faces some of the main challenges of the 21^st Century: climate change, security, the stability of global economy and the fight against poverty, among others. The response of the Trio Programme to these challenges has been: more Europe and more coordination among the Member States, both in the economic and political field.

The Trio Programme therefore endeavours to consolidate the economic union, dealing with issues such as employment and social policies (creation of quality and stable jobs, reinforcement of the EU social agenda), energy policy (the Mexico Conference on Climate Change, the accomplishment of interconnection projects), technology (the European Institute of Innovation and Technology in Budapest, the promotion of the electric vehicle), cohesion policy (Danube Strategy, Outermost Regions, Common Maritime Policy).

The Trio Programme also promotes the political union within the European integration process, both in its internal and external aspect. The European citizenship will be strengthened and the integration of migrants will be promoted. The fight against gender violence will also be a tenet of the programme. As regards the external dimension of the political deepening of the Union, the goal will be to reinforce the EU foreign policy. The Trio Presidency will deal with issues such as the Neighbourhood Policy, the EU humanitarian action (Haiti), and integration (Western Balkans, Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Iceland).

The Spanish State Secretary finally stated that the implication of each one of the Trio Member States will last for the 18 months period within the new institutional framework established by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.

Belgian State Secretary Olivier Chastel after underlining the innovating and trendsetting experience in a challenging environment of the first EU trio working under the Lisbon Treaty went on to explain the position of Belgium on a number of topics that figure in the programme of the Trio Presidency:

With regard to the methodology Belgium hopes that all aspects of the new EU 2020 Strategy will be decided upon before the end of June, following the informal European Council February 11, 2010 on the governance of the strategy, an ambitious proposal by the Commission and an agreement on the main outline at the Spring European Council. The Strategy should contain short term measures to overcome the crisis and a long term strategy to consolidate a sufficient and sustainable economic growth in order to maintain our social model. Belgium would like to focus on strong governance (with binding objectives and better monitoring), on the European dimension and on the coherence with other horizontal strategies (employment, sustainable development). Good communication is important as well.

As regards the relations between the European institutions, State Secretary Chastel pointed out the preparation of the meetings of the European Council needs close concertation of its President, the rotating Presidency and the President of the Commission and should be prepared on the base of the work of the General Affairs Council. The General Affairs Council needs an attractive agenda, giving priority to quality above quantity. The Commission should make full use of its right of initiative to remain the motor of European integration. The Commission seems more hesitant than in the past, undoubtedly because the growing number of Commissioners makes it more difficult to achieve consensus, thereby indirectly enhancing the powers of its President. The European Parliament is becoming more powerful. Nowadays the rotating Presidency will have to devote as much energy to achieve consensus within the Council as to negotiate with the European Parliament.

Belgium fully supports the priority given by the Spanish Presidency to arrive at an agreement on the provisions that could ensure a closer involvement of our citizens in the European project.

Referring to the setup of the new European External Action Service Mr Chastel stated the transition period should be as short as possible. Like Spain Belgium will put its diplomatic service at the disposal of the High Representative to the extent and as long as the High Representative deems it necessary.

We must avoid that the discussions on how to integrate the new requirements of the Lisbon Treaty and those on the budget review interfere with the normal procedure for adopting the budget of 2011.

Belgium is particularly attached to the following aspect of the Stockholm Programme:
        - a common asylum policy by 2012, 
        - strengthening of cross-border police cooperation,
        - combating terrorism, focusing on radicalisation prevention policies,
        - establishing a global European Strategy for Internal Security,
        - the rights of the child (especially non accompanied minors),
        - implementing the principle of mutual recognition in penal law,
        - general suppression of exequatur procedure in civil law and effective execution of judicial decisions.

As far as enlargement is concerned the EU must respect its given word. The candidate countries must satisfy the criteria for accession. The accession negotiations can have a stabilising effect on the candidate countries, but we must beware of incentives that would soften the conditions. Fully complying with the conditions before adhesion is the best preparation of the candidate countries to assume the duties and obligations that come with EU membership. With regard to the external dimension, it is important to use the existing channels with the countries that are not members of the EU, such as the Eastern Partnership or the Stabilisation and Association Agreements, in order to ensure that all member states have a voice in the way the EU is dealing with non-member countries.

Belgium supports the initiative of a European strategy for the Danube region, as it will reinforce the synergy of existing policies, making better use of the limited national and European resources, without establishing new administrative structures or requiring additional financial resources. The internal dimension of the European regional policy should remain the focus of this initiative.

Tibor Kiss, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry State Secretary responsible for European Affairs, asserted in his address that the Hungarian EU presidency affects the whole country and it is our common interest that we execute it successfully. Among the circumstances determining our room for manoeuvre, he mentioned the enforcement of the Lisbon Treaty whose “trial run” signifies special responsibilities and the creation of a new institutional balance; in this respect a delicate and important task would be steering the process in a positive direction. The State Secretary emphasised that under the Hungarian presidency an EU “legislation dumping” can be expected, since lots of initiatives have been held back in anticipation of the new European Commission to swear in February 2010. This will mean more work and less visible recognition for the Hungarian presidency, he added.

On institutional issues, Mr Kiss emphasised that tight cooperation is needed with the European Parliament in every area, considering that the Lisbon Treaty entails growth of the parliament’s role and sphere of responsibility. Great expectations are riding on the formation of the European External Action Service. Work is proceeding at a fast clip under the leadership of the new high representative, Ms Ashton. The heads of the Brussels permanent representations of the Trio Presidency have, at the same time, been drawn into the preparatory work which could mean leverage in the formation process. It is necessary however to utilise the opportunities presented therein.

Mr Kiss said that the Hungarian presidency programme was being drawn up, and this was the most important job for the forthcoming period. Its framework would be trio programme but the European Commission’s working plan and “dossiers” inherited from the Belgian presidency will also significantly influence content.

As regards the priorities of the trio programme, the State Secretary pointed out that we don’t have to lead Europe but to coordinate and organise work. Among the most important tasks, he mentioned the start of gradual phasing out of crisis-management measures from 2011 and its supervision under the Hungarian presidency; the approval of the EU’s growth and competition strategy for the period after 2010 (“2020 strategy”) which, besides the immediate crisis-management, should contain long-term reform measures, too. In respect of preparations for the Union’s next financial perspective, he emphasised that the trio will argue in favour of a budget driven by joint policies and the relevant debate should begin as soon as possible. On the subject of climate change, our goal is that the Mexico summit – to be held in November 2010 – arrives at a comprehensive climate protection agreement.

Among Hungary’s priority interests, he listed working out and implementing the Danube Region Strategy which is expected to be launched under our presidency; the extension of the Schengen Zone with covering Romania and Bulgaria, preparations for the integration process of the Western Balkans, as well as advancing common energy policy and the diversification of the Union’s energy supply routes. He stressed that the EU should be more efficient and unified on the international stage through the permanent president of the European Council and the foreign affairs high representative.

In the afternoon session of the conference, Gábor Iván, the head of Hungary’s permanent representation in Brussels, Tibor Navracsics, the whip of the greatest opposition party “Fidesz” (Young Democrats – Hungarian Civic Union) in the parliament, István Stumpf, senior researcher of the Political Science Institute and András Vértes, the head of Economic Research Corporation dealt with issues in connection with strengthening the competitiveness and social model of Europe.

(January 29, 2010)