Hungary’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union: congratulatory letter

To: Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

From: Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

I am writing to wish Hungary a successful Presidency of the Council of the EU. I note with interest your Presidency priorities and welcome the trio programme published with your Spanish and Belgian colleagues to work with continuity across the three presidencies. This will no doubt be an important time for the EU following the European Parliament elections, and as a new European Commission takes shape.

Scotland shares the EU’s founding principles and core values – based on human dignity, equality, rule of law, freedom, democracy and human rights. We are committed to continuing to work closely with EU partners. I also would like to take the opportunity to highlight some key areas where Scotland is likely to be particularly supportive of your efforts.

We take a keen interest in your emphasis on strengthening the EU’s global competitiveness by strengthening the industrial base in line with the accelerated twin green and digital transitions, and making use of innovation. We pushed hard for UK association to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes earlier this year and look forward to enhanced collaboration with Hungary and the EU’s Member States in all areas.

I am also particularly interested in your focus on climate policy and the security of energy supply and welcome your approach of putting climate and energy transition at the heart of your priorities with an emphasis on discussing challenges and sharing good practices. In Scotland we continue to make positive strides towards our ambition to reduce greenhouse gases emissions to zero by 2045 and will be setting out further detailed plans in the coming months. Scotland has extensive renewable resources and is well-placed to help the EU deliver its energy goals, including long-term security of supply of clean, reliable electricity from wind, solar and hydrogen. We continue to work with our partners in the EU to explore the steps needed to realise our export potential of green hydrogen.

These priorities are only some of the challenges and opportunities facing Europe at this critical time, and show that there are a number of synergies and shared priorities between Scotland and Hungary. I would be very happy to expand on any of these topics and wish you and your colleagues a successful Presidency of the Council of the EU. 

I am also sending a copy of this letter to your Ambassadors in London and to the EU H.E. Ferenc Kumin PhD and H.E. DR Bálint Ódor and your Consul General in Scotland Mr László Kálmán.