Government Pushes EU Reforms to Safeguard Competitiveness, Technology, and Security

Meeting of the Hungarian-North Rhine-Westphalia Joint Economic Committee

Hungary and North Rhine-Westphalia share many common interests, such as maintaining the continent’s competitiveness, which, however, requires reform of the European Union’s political functioning, said Levente Magyar, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on Monday in Düsseldorf.

Levente Magyar praised the successes of bilateral cooperation at the meeting of the Hungarian-North Rhine-Westphalia Joint Economic Committee and pointed out that this province is Hungary’s second largest investor and third largest trading partner within Germany.

He emphasized that the largest companies in the region are represented in Hungary with significant investments, and this is an important link even when there are issues in the political arena on which there is no complete agreement.

At the same time, some political interests remain constant. We believe that Europe’s competitiveness, technological edge, and security are among them, and we must work together to protect and strengthen these priorities,”

he said.

“And these connect us, regardless of how we assess a particular foreign policy issue or even a question of values (…) We do not always have to think the same way about these issues; we come from a political system that has matured in a culture of debate, and we always conduct this debate with our partners with great pleasure and due respect,” he continued.

Levente Magyar then expressed his opinion that the continent will not have a chance in the long term to compete with the United States and China without reforming the political functioning of the European Union and strengthening its competitiveness.

We can see the extent and pace at which China is advancing at the expense of Europe in world trade and the global economy. In 2000, China’s economy was half the size of Germany’s, and twenty-five years later, it is four times as large,”

he pointed out.

“So there is a political challenge from America, an economic challenge from China, and a military security challenge from Russia, all of which we have a chance to address if we act together,” he added.

“And we will have a chance to act successfully together if Germany takes the necessary steps, because as Europe’s leading country and leading power, Europe cannot effectively address these challenges without Germany,” he emphasized.

The State Secretary emphasized that we must also find common ground and a path to cooperation with the United States, Russia, and China. “However, this is only possible if Europe is strong enough to negotiate as an equal partner with the Americans in political terms, with the Chinese in economic terms, and with the Russians in security terms,” he noted.

Via MTI; Featured photo: Facebook/Magyar Levente

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