Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

31 January 2011

The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

As Hungary gains the EU Presidency for the first half of 2011, the final stage of the 18 month rotating ‘trio’ is underway. Hungary takes control of the plan designed in 2010 in cooperation with the Presidencies of Spain and Belgium, and continues in the promotion of an agenda which prioritises amongst other things the areas of Social Inclusion, Fundamental Rights and Cultural Diversity.

Social Inclusion and Protection play a key role in the six month programme of the presidency, with special priority given to the endorsement of EU Framework on National Roma Integration Strategies; the Hungarian Presidency intends to contribute to the formulation of priorities for Europe 2020 for the upcoming years, with a special focus on child poverty.

The Hungarian Presidency will also follow up on the commitment to equality on the grounds of gender and disability, which has been a constant trend throughout the trio’s 18 month programme. Over the next 6 months the Presidency will seek to improve the European Pact for Gender Equality, based on the Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2014 and will launch the implementation of the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020.

The main equality related points of the Hungarian Presidency’s 2011 programme:

•    To further develop European Roma Policy
•    To support the formulation of priorities for Europe 2020
•    To launch the implementation of European Disability Strategy 2010-2020
•    To encourage the ratification and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities across the Member States.
•    To improve the European Pact for Gender Equality based on the Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2014
•    To revise Council Directive to encourage improvements in the health and safety at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding
•    To champion cultural diversity across Europe
•    To conduct a comprehensive debate on demographic trends
•    To promote youth employment through Europe 2020 flagship initiatives “Youth on the Move” and “Agenda for New Skills and Jobs”
•    To support the planning of initiatives related to the European Year of Active Ageing 2012

Further information on the Hungarian Presidency:

The Hungarian Presidency's home page

The Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs

The programme of the Hungarian Presidency