The position which the Central-European countries represent today is in opposition, rather than in the majority, in the EU, and their situation is detrimentally affected by Brexit, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office said at his annual hearing at the European Affairs Committee of Parliament.
The Minister highlighted: with Britain, a Member State leaves the EU which finds sovereignty important. According to the Hungarian negotiating position regarding Brexit, we need a solution which is equally good for Britain, the EU and the Central-European countries, he said.
In his view, the fact that Britain is leaving the EU is „a sign of trouble”. As to when and how Britain will leave will have fiscal and political implications, and another issue that has yet to be explored is what effect Brexit may have on the EU’s budget that is currently in force, he said.
The Minister pointed out: Britain will be one of our biggest trade partners outside the EU, and therefore the terms of Brexit are not indifferent for Hungary. It is to be hoped that all of this will create an opportunity to reconsider things, and this may be a new beginning. We must return to the Treaty of Lisbon: there is no point in extending beyond its terms because that will generate disputes, he said sharing his view.
Mr Lázár said: consultations regarding the EU budget beyond 2020 began last year. Hungary negotiated very well with respect to the previous budget, and the goal is to retain the availability of EU funds, he explained. He added: the funds in question are cohesion and agricultural grants.
The Minister further told the Committee that the ongoing infringement procedures primarily relate to official price fixing, the issue of arable land and trade policy questions.
He also remarked that Hungary obtained good positions in the European Commission in 2004, and while the Commission officials do not represent national interests, it is not irrelevant how many Hungarians serve there. High-ranking Hungarian officials will leave the body on account of their retirement in the near future, and it is in the country’s best interest to succeed in delegating Hungarians to the apparatus, which is not easy, however, he said.