The 1st CEI Committee of National Coordinators Meeting (CNC) under the Hungarian CEI Presidency was held in Budapest on 22 January 2013.
The National Coordinators were welcomed by the Minister of State of the MFA of Hungary, Mr. Zsolt Németh who focused on the importance of enhancing regional cooperation as a prerequisite for a further European Enlargement process. He recalled the motto of this year’s CEI Presidency, in line with that of the EU Hungarian Presidency: “A Strong Europe Needs Strong Regions” both within the European Union and along its borders in order to cope with the current economic crisis, he said. He also highlighted that the Hungarian CEI Presidency aimed at intensifying economic relations in Central Europe, at promoting common objectives in order to emerge on EU affairs and at making the CEI more visible at global level. In this regard, he expressed appreciation for the great efforts of the CEI Ukrainian Presidency in facilitating this role throughout 2012.Finally, Németh also underlined that due to its geopolitical location, the CEI could become a source of growth and thus contribute to stability, social and economic welfare. Ambassador Edit Bátorfi, who chaired the meeting, also recalled the Ukrainian Presidency's significant steps towards deepening cooperation in the field of tourism, energy, transport and strengthening the contacts and cooperation between the CEI and the EU, as well as European Commission and the Organisation of United Nations. She emphasised that Hungary would do its utmost in order to make the CEI a “pre-eminent regional cooperation tool” as undelined by the former Ukrainian Presidency. Hungary, taking over the Presidency of the Visegrad Group in July 2013, also invited Ms. Grazyna Maria Bernatowicz Undersecretary of State of the MFA of Poland in her capacity as representative of the current Polish Presidency of the V4. She highlighted that the V4, originally set up to promote the EU and NATO integration of its Member States, was now focusing on developing a common position within the EU’s financial framework for 2014-2020. In the CEI context, she strongly called for the need to pinpoint synergies between the two Organisations.
The official transfer of the Ukrainian Presidency to Hungary and the briefing on the priorities of the new Presidency, were followed by a comprehensive description of the Official Calendar of the Hungarian CEI Presidency.
The main events to be organised by the CEI Secretariat were also illustrated by the CEI Acting Secretary General, Mr. Giorgio Rosso Cicogna, who confirmed that regional cooperation for European integration was crucial and ever more possible through the well functioning project-oriented approach of the CEI. Among other issues, the CNC, having agreed at their last meeting in 2012 to extend the CEI Plan of Action (PoA) until the end of 2013, decided upon the next steps to be taken for the elaboration of the New PoA for the period 2014-2016, to be in line with the EU Agenda 2020 and relevant financial Programming Period 2014-2020. The next CNC Meeting will be held in London on 12 April 2013. Opening speech of H.E. Minister of State Zsolt Németh, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Opening speech of Mr. Giorgio Rosso Cicogna, CEI Acting Secretary General Calendar of Events - Hungarian CEI Presidency
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