On 1 July 2024, Hungary will take over the reins of the Council of the European Union, holding the Rotating Presidency for the second time since its accession to the European Union twenty years ago, in May 2004.
In 2024, the year of European elections, a new Strategic Agenda, a new Commission mandate, as well as new and continuing challenges facing the European project, bridging the gap between policy-makers, academics, and citizens has never been more important.
To discuss the aims and priorities of the incoming Hungarian Presidency, as well as the crucial files needing attention in the EU, the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) and the HUN-REN Centre for Economics and Regional Studies – Institute of World Economics co-organised the Hungarian Pre-Presidency Conference (PPC): “Changes and Challenges in the European Union”.
The Hungarian PPC took place on 13-14 June 2024 in Budapest and hosted policymakers to meet with key stakeholders and the wider public. The conference featured high level discussions between researchers from the TEPSA Network, members of the public including students and civil society representatives, and key policymakers from the Hungarian government. The conference was livestreamed, and full panel recordings are being published on TEPSA’s YouTube channel, so head over and subscribe so you don’t miss out!
The second semester of 2024 will be a crucial moment for reflection on the past achievements, present challenges, and future prospects for the European project. This is why our conference focused on a number of key thematic areas. In the first plenary session, the Recommendations from members of the TEPSA network were presented and discussed. Meanwhile, our parallel sessions covered such themes as competitiveness, EU financing, enlargement, and migration, in addition to one session evaluating the results of the European elections, which took place on June 6-9, and another reflecting on the twentieth anniversary of the 2004 enlargement round. Finally, the last plenary session took stock of the EU’s geopolitical challenges and consider the future of security and defence in Europe.
On the occasion of the Hungarian Pre-Presidency Conference, TEPSA also presented recommendations to the incoming Presidency. These recommendations form part of a long history of interaction between TEPSA and the Council Presidencies, starting with the first Pre-Presidency Conference. They have been circulated to key policy-makers in the Hungarian Ministries, and were discussed in depth at the PPC. You can read the recommendations from members of the TEPSA network to the incoming Hungarian Presidency by clicking here!
Watch the full panel recordings
This Pre-Presidency Conference was organised by the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) and the HUN-REN Centre for Economics and Regional Studies – Institute of World Economics. The event is co-funded by the European Union in the framework of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme. The event was in cooperation with the Hungarian Economic Association, Videoton Holding, Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Grawe Insurance.
