Given the international situation, Hungary has made defence a priority for its Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2024, and intends to work on strengthening European policy in this area.
“Europe needs to significantly improve its defence capabilities, international crisis management responsiveness, and capacities”, stresses the Presidency programme.
According to Budapest, in addition to alliances and cooperation on defence policy, including closer cooperation with NATO, the EU must play a greater role in guaranteeing its own security “ by strengthening its resilience and capacity to act”.
The Presidency therefore intends to place particular emphasis on strengthening the European defence technological and industrial base, “including defence innovation and the enhancement of defence procurement cooperation between Member States, beyond the implementation of the Strategic Compass”.
Particular attention will be paid to the “consistent representation" of the goals set out in the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS), “in particular to the expansion of financing options and production capacities, better security of supply, as well as the swift commercialisation of research, development and innovation results”. It also intends to advance the legislative tasks related to the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).
To make the development of European military capabilities more effective, the Presidency wants to “maximise the potential of existing EU defence initiatives”. It states that it is strongly committed to promoting strategic thinking on the future of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and on the future of the European Defence Fund (EDF).
In addition, the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council intends to focus on strengthening the EU’s military crisis response and management capabilities. “Setting up the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity and the relevant command and control system are key elements in this regard”, says the Presidency, which wants to support the regular organisation of joint exercises by offering a national exercise, “as these promote interoperability between the armed forces of the Member States and the development of decision-making mechanisms”.
For Hungary, it is a priority to ensure stability in the Western Balkans and the Sahel region through EU military missions, security-focused cooperation and dialogue, and support through the ‘European Peace Facility’.
“It is also a priority for the Hungarian Presidency to improve the sustainability of the European Peace Facility, to maintain the geographical balance of the instrument and to finish the review of the EPF", the programme states. Hungary is currently blocking seven decisions to release €6.6 billion in reimbursements to Member States in support of Ukraine.
To see the priorities: https://aeur.eu/f/crs (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)