EPP Group Bureau Meeting in Budapest

Created: 7th March, 2010 14:36 | Last updated: 18th March, 2010 13:21	print	send

Joseph Daul, head of the EPP parliamentary group said in his speech that the time had come for Hungary to elect a strong government after a long period of socialist governing. He stated: should Fidesz and its chairman Viktor Orbán win the elections, the party will set to governing with moral reputation, courage and a sense of responsibility.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso emphasized that the EU can only be successful if it is capable of speaking in a common voice, acting as a real union and strengthening the political coordination between member states.

Johannes Hahn, the EU commissioner responsible for regional policy said: the regional policy of the EU is not about benevolence, it is an investment aimed at equalizing different regional development levels. According to Hahn, cohesion and regional policy have a key role in the new competitiveness strategy of the EU, entitled Europe 2020; it is a basic objective to bring Europe closer to the people.

The agricultural commissioner of the European Union said the aim of the common agricultural policy is food security and to guarantee the living standard of farmers. Dacian Ciolos added that the renewed agricultural policy can contribute to economic growth based on environmental protection.

Fidesz parliamentary group leader Tibor Navracsics underlined in his remarks that the EU can only stay competitive on the global market with quality foodstuffs. Therefore the common agricultural policy has to provide help for the production methods to further guarantee high-quality, safe and healthy foodstuffs.