Brussels, 05/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The future of European development policy and encouraging the economic development of partner countries are the Hungarian Presidency's development priorities. These six months of the rotating presidency of the Council coincide with intensification of the debate on the two issues. Hungary's action on the first will be guided, within the EU, by the Commission's Green Paper on the future of development policy after 2013, with an eye on the post-2013 financial framework; the second will be launched internationally ahead of new guidelines on aid for economic growth in developing countries. Realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) will provide the backdrop for these European and international priorities.
Under the Hungarian Presidency, the progress made by member states on their pledges for the achievement of the MDG will be assessed and consideration given to measures still to be taken between now and 2015. Debate on the effectiveness of EU aid will continue in order to define the EU's position at the specialist forum in South Korea in the second half of the year.
Another of the Presidency's tasks will be to prepare for the fourth UN conference on the least developed countries (LDC-IV), due to take place in Istanbul in May 2011. Hungary intends to have recognised the importance of role of water in international development cooperation, an objective which exactly mirrors one of its national priorities.
Hungary, which has been a member of the EU since 2004, also intends to organise a debate on the European Transition Compendium, the European initiative pulling together the experiences lived through in the course of changing the social, economic and political systems.
During its six-month term, Hungary will host international conferences and fora, such as the Joint ACP-EU Parliamentary Assembly and the dialogue conference which will focus on the involvement of civil organisations and local authorities in development cooperation.
In humanitarian aid, Hungary will concentrate on the operations which result from the European Humanitarian Consensus which, since 2007, has provided a framework for increased effectiveness of the EU's humanitarian policy (see EUROPE 10274). Finalising the setting up of the European humanitarian aid volunteer corps - introduced by Article 214.5 of the Lisbon Treaty - so that a first pilot project can be undertaken in 2011 (see EUROPE 10262) will be a further Hungarian priority. Renegotiating the UN Convention on Food Aid is another in its list of priorities for its six months at the head of the Council of the EU. (A.N./transl.rt)