19th December 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I have spent the last week in cold, wet, snowy London and hope I am not going to be stuck here for too much longer by flight cancellations due to the snow. This is as a result of the huge, current level of interest in Hungary and how it is going to manage its EU […]
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29th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Last week the National School of Government came to Budapest for an extremely useful training session for a group of Embassy staff on what to expect under the Hungarian EU Presidency. They covered for example the EU decision making process; the challenges we will face; how the rotating Presidency fits into the new EU architecture; […]
Read more on Girding up our loins | Reply
24th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
This week we have been focusing on Climate Change again. The subject has gone quieter since the Copenhagen Summit, around this time last year. But the problem is as big – and getting bigger. And the issue is about to be addressed again at the Cancun meeting and will feature prominently on the agendas of […]
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24th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Although preparations for the Hungarian EU Presidency are now gathering pace, ordinary life does not stop. And we know how accidents, natural disasters or international events can throw out the best laid plans. When I saw the moving reports of the Hungarian red sludge accident on 4 October, I was shocked by the acute hardship […]
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17th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Taking on the rotating EU Presidency for the first time is a huge challenge (even with the reduced Presidency role following the Lisbon Treaty). And it’s a massive learning opportunity too. Thankfully there are many friends standing by to help out at this difficult time and the UK is one of the foremost. On previous […]
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12th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
When the current Hungarian government came to power, they made clear that creating more jobs and growth would be their key priority. That fits neatly with the EU’s own priorities – when Hungary takes over the Presidency in January, it can be in the driving seat on this vital issue. National and EU goals will […]
Read more on New route to jobs, growth and competitiveness? | Reply
9th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Following the Lisbon Treaty, and the establishment of a permanent Presidency for the European Union, the role of the rotating Presidency that passes from one Member State to another every 6 months is evolving. And it is not entirely clear where it will end up during the Hungarian Presidency in the first 6 months of […]
Read more on Why are logisticians a humourless lot? | Reply
5th November 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
We knew that there would be huge interest from the UK in Hungary in the run-up to their EU Presidency in the first half of next year. And so it is proving. The focus started, I suppose, with the highly successful visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in […]
Read more on Blogjam of visits | Reply
29th October 2010
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Having worked and lived in various countries, but in particular during several years spent in Pakistan (where I also worked on development issues in Afghanistan), I am strongly convinced of the critical importance for us all of international development work. And specifically the need to implement the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDG). In recent months, […]
Read more on "No man is an island": Developments in development | Reply
