17th November 2010
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 […]
15th November 2010
For the last couple of weeks I and colleagues from the British Embassy have been wearing artificial poppies in our lapels or pinned to our clothes. And lots of Hungarian friends and acquaintances have been asking me why we do this. So I have been pleased to have the chance to explain to them that […]
14th November 2010
It was a real delight to be able to host a reception at the British Residence tonight so that our contacts interested in environmental issues could come and meet Doctor (and Dame) Jane Goodall. I’m sure I don’t need to explain in detail to most readers of this blog who Jane is – but in […]
12th November 2010
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 […]
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9th November 2010
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 […]
5th November 2010
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 […]
29th October 2010
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, […]
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15th October 2010
In Hungary, aside from elections and the change of government, the dominant theme in 2010 so far has been water. But this is about elemental forces, environmental damage and climate change – not just because the government here has chosen water as a priority for when Hungary takes on the EU Presidency in the first […]