Event report

The students of KCL and Ferenc Kumin, the Ambassador of Hungary discussed the global context of the EU's foreign, security and defence policies, including regional and global challenges, and with special regard to the CFSP, the CSDP and enlargement. The Ambassador outlined the view of the Hungarian government, according to which the equality of Member States requires the retention of unanimity in CFSP and CSDP decision-making, as these areas involve the most basic aspects of a nation's sovereignty. The EU should also avoid the duplication of NATO capabilities during the development of its defence policies. The Ambassador stressed that Hungary remains fully committed to the enlargement of the EU in the Western Balkans (despite the political difficulties among the current Member States), which is necessary for regional stability, and in the absence of which other powers may increase their influence to the detriment of the interests and values of the EU. As regards the future of the EU institutions, the Ambassador stressed that the democratic functioning of the European Parliament has proven to be a dead end. Consequently, the role of the national parliaments, Europe’s fundamental and ultimate democratic institutions, should be strengthened by empowering them to nominate the delegates of the EP, following the example of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. In essence, European integration should be widened but it should not deepened any further.