On 23 February Deputy State Secretary Balázs Molnár received British Minister for International Trade Greg Hands.
At their meeting the parties reviewed the current status of the talks regarding the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union and consulted with respect to possible forms of future cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom. The British party confirmed Britain will continue to have a vested interest in the successful functioning of the European Union also after its exit, and will seek to come to a comprehensive free trade agreement covering the widest possible range of areas and to maintain close cooperation with the European Union in the fields of defence and security policy. Ensuring predictability and stability for British and Hungarian nationals and business actors is equally important for London and Budapest.
At the meeting Deputy State Secretary Balázs Molnár stressed that Hungary has a vested interest in a balanced and mutually fair exit agreement as well as in the maintenance of close relations in the future. The unity of the 27 Member States of the EU should be preserved in this phase of the negotiations as well. The Deputy State Secretary highlighted a satisfactory settlement regarding the interests of Hungarians working and studying in the United Kingdom is a major priority.