Brexit

London Court of Appeal rejects irrevocably the “WSCUK” petition against Morocco-UK Association Agreement

Justice Court Igazság Bíróság Legal Rights

The London Court of Appeal rejected by its decision made on Thursday 25 May 2023 the request for appeal submitted by WSCUK (Western Sahara Campaign UK) against the Morocco-UK Association Agreement.

The London Court of Appeal irrevocably rejected the appeal made by the ally of Polisario, the NGO ” WSCUK” regarding the reconsideration of the Association Agreement between Morocco and the United Kingdom.

Several European media highlights the repeated failures of the instigators of the Sahara conflict to persuade the British judiciary to re-examine the post-Brexit trade Agreement concluded and supported by the two Kingdoms.

This dismissal comes after the London Administrative Court’s previous decision to reject the NGO’s application in December 05, 2022, as well as the decision of the High Court of New Zealand in March 2021, which refused to rule on the request for a judicial review initiated by the Polisario.

This judgement of London Court of Appeal provides further evidence of the legal validity and the effectiveness of the Association Agreement linking the two countries, which benefits also to the populations of the Sahara region.

The ruling confirms, also, the legitimacy of the Kingdom’s actions in Sahara, and the conformity of its use of natural resources in accordance with international law. It recognized, as well, that the Polisario has absolutely no mandate in the economic development and the governing of the region.

In its decision, the Court, has kept distance from any political involvement of the regional dispute over the Sahara, and thereby confirmed the exclusive competence on the issue of the UN Security Council. In the same time, the British judiciary consolidated the legal certainty of the above-mentioned Agreement which will contributes to the consolidation of the partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and United Kingdom, and provides further legal visibility to economic operators and investors concerned by the implementation of this Agreement as well.

This Agreement, which was signed in London on October 26, 2019, and has been in force since January 1, 2021, enabled also the two Kingdoms to establish a structured partnership on a long-term basis, with operational and institutionalized cooperation instruments, and driven by a shared ambition to strengthen the economic and commercial relations in all sectors of cooperation. The trade between the two countries has grown steadily since the agreement was signed, with bilateral flows peaking at £2.9 billion in Q3 2022, up £1 billion on the same period last year.

The Agreement restores, in the context of bilateral relations, all the effects that the two countries granted each other, mutually, within the framework of the Morocco-EU Association Agreement, ensuring the continuity of trade between Morocco and the UK after Brexit.

Hungarian Foreign Minister criticises the EU in London

szijjártó london

Decision-makers in Brussels “often react to British proposals reflexively”, and some of their decisions may make cooperation between the European Union and the UK more difficult, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in London on Monday, adding that “in the current difficult situation, good ties are important”.

After talks with James Cleverly, the recently appointed British foreign minister, Szijjártó said Brexit had been “a huge loss” and the damage arising from Brexit should be minimised, but this required “reasonable cooperation based on mutual respect”.

Szijjártó criticised the EU for excluding the UK from the Horizon programme and from digital cooperation.

“Now, when the EU’s economy has suffered a lot of damage in terms of competitiveness … close cooperation with the British could help the EU become stronger and more competitive,” he said.

The Hungarian government will continue to seek resolution of open issues in Brussels, Szijjártó said, adding that “having unresolved conflicts with the EU is in sharp opposition to the interests of the EU and Hungary.”

The officials also discussed the war in Ukraine. Szijjártó said Hungary had an interest in “securing peace as soon as possible”.

Earlier in the day, Szijjártó met leaders of the largest British companies investing in Hungary, adding that the government was working to promote investments to create new jobs and retain the country’s economic growth.

UK companies make up Hungary’s sixth largest investor group, with some 800 companies employing 50,000 people in the country, he added.

Meanwhile, he said the Hungarian and British governments maintained similar positions on nuclear energy and efforts to “eliminate negative discrimination” against it, as well as on combatting illegal migration, which “impacts the two countries equally”.

Szijjártó said Hungary had so far spent 1.6 billion euros on protecting its borders, while the EU had reimbursed a mere 1.2 percent of the grand total. “This clearly shows that Brussels, regrettably, maintains its stance supporting migration,” he added.

John Laughland guest lecturer Budapest
Read alsoRussian spy among the guest lecturers of a Budapest elite college?

Foreign minister Szijjártó hails post-Brexit Hungary-UK cooperation

Szijjártó

Hungary and the United Kingdom have laid the foundations of cooperation based on mutual respect following the UK’s exit from the European Union, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in London on Tuesday.

Europe is in a critical period, facing serious challenges, the foreign ministry cited Szijjártó as saying at the inauguration of the Hungarian consulate’s new building.

“We receive a lot of bad news and face many challenges each day,” Szijjártó said. “This situation makes friendships, predictable relationships and stable partnerships like that of the United Kingdom and Hungary all the more valuable.”

Szijjártó said that “in the spirit of mutual respect”, Hungary “was perhaps the only EU member state” that had not commented on or labelled the outcome of the Brexit referendum. “We didn’t compete with others in saying how bad a decision the British people had made,” he said. “We simply left it to the British people to decide on their own future.”

Turning to economic relations, Szijjártó said

British businesses made up the sixth-largest investor community in Hungary, with more than 800 companies employing some 55,000 people.

Many of them proved their loyalty during the pandemic by deciding to invest in their local bases rather than cut production, he added.

Bilateral trade turnover came to nearly 5 billion euros last year, “which it will likely reach this year”, Szijjártó said.

Hungary and the UK will also continue their cooperation in the area of nuclear energy with a view to ensuring that nuclear power is not discriminated against and determining the national energy mix remains a national competence, he said.

“The countries that can produce at least a large amount of the energy they consume are the ones that are truly secure,” Szijjártó said.

He said some 180,000-200,000 Hungarians live in the UK, adding that the Hungarian consulate had handled 23,000-27,000 cases in the last few years, which is three times as many as ten years ago.

Szijjártó also praised the organisation of the Hungarian general elections in London, noting that most of the Hungarian votes cast at foreign missions had been cast in the UK capital.

As we wrote earlier, Hungary’s Brexit adjustment reserve supports 63 companies with EUR 61.7m.

brexit student european union united kingdom university
Read alsoHungarian students hit hardest by Brexit!

Hungary’s Brexit adjustment reserve supports 63 companies with EUR 61.7m

brexit hungary companies

The government’s adjustment reserve for companies harmed by the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union is supporting 63 companies with a total of 23 billion forints (EUR 61.7m), Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Monday, when he handed the support certification to Rovitex Homedeco.

Winning support within the Brexit Adjustment Reserve was conditional on investments and preserving jobs, Szijjártó said. The government has pre-financed the tender, which opened in September and closed recently, as European Union funding will flow in between 2022 and 2025, he said.

“We have never allowed Hungarians to be made to pay for events in world politics and economy they had nothing to do with, and Brexit is one of them,” he said.

Szijjártó said Brexit was a “huge loss” for the EU which brought about grave strategic and economic challenges. The UK used to produce 15 percent of the EU’s GDP and gave 13 percent of its population, he said.

In the last decade marked by crises, the Hungarian government’s responses to the challenges consistently deviated from mainstream answers “but were also consistently successful”, he said.

In response to the financial crisis, the government introduced radical tax cuts and job creation policies, and it countered migration pressure by strengthening national security, he said.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the government focused on speeding up the vaccination drive and on saving jobs, which helped Hungary to “benefit from the status quo upheaval in global economy, and brought about economic records in 2021,” he said.

As we wrote last month, the number of Hungarian students studying in the UK has fallen dramatically since Brexit. The Hungarian Youth Association has launched a campaign across the EU: the SaveEUStudents initiative has been endorsed even by the European Parliament. Details: Hungarian students hit hardest by Brexit!

Hungarian students hit hardest by Brexit!

brexit student european union united kingdom university

The number of Hungarian students studying in the UK has fallen dramatically since Brexit. The Hungarian Youth Association has launched a campaign across the EU: the SaveEUStudents initiative has been endorsed even by the European Parliament.

Brexit: changing rules and fees

The United Kingdom left the European Union on 1 January 2021, and since then, EU citizens have lost a number of benefits. Workers now have to comply with stricter residency rules, and they face a heavier administrative burden, which affects around 160,000 Hungarian citizens.

Young people were also affected by the exit: while the UK was a member of the EU, the maximum university tuition fee was £9250 (EUR 11,095), there was also a reduced student loan and no need for separate health insurance or a visa.

Since Brexit, however, they have either been discontinued or their costs are significantly higher. According to an older article on 444.hu, if a Hungarian student wants to study at a British university after Brexit, the tuition fees can range from 25,000 to 40,000 pounds (EUR 29,990-47,985). Another 348 pounds (EUR 417) for a visa is required, and one also has to pay for the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is an extra 470 pounds (EUR 564) compared to pre-Brexit time. Previously, the tuition fees could be covered in total by a student loan, which is now not available. On top of the already mentioned heavy expenditure, there are also the living costs.

eu brexit uk
pixabay.com

Fewer Hungarian students in the UK

Soma Pirityi, co-director of the Hungarian Youth Association Ltd., told Napi.hu about the situation:

“There has been a dramatic fall in the number of students studying in the UK. While in the year 2020-2021, around 705 students were accepted out of around 1,100 applicants, in the 2021-2022 academic year only 450 students applied out of which 190 have been accepted, but eventually only 60 began their studies.”

As we can read in Napi.hu’s article, according to Bálint Karagich, co-director of the Hungarian Youth Association Ltd., this does not stop Hungarian students from looking for universities abroad:

instead of British universities, most students are now looking for opportunities in the Netherlands.

This is also due to the fact that the Dutch system was the quickest to respond to the situation with foreign language courses. Austrian, French and German universities are also on the frontline.

Initiative

In response to the problem, the Hungarian Youth Association and the Federation of Polish Societies in the UK have launched a petition called SaveEUStudents. The campaign calls for the creation of a comprehensive EU-UK student mobility scheme to cover the tuition fees and living expenses of EU students, contribute to visa and travel costs, and provide an immigration health supplement. If implemented, this could help more than 170,000 European students.

railway Budapest
Read alsoOne of the oldest railway stations in Budapest to be renewed, here are the plans — PHOTOS

Hungary to launch 2nd round of tenders for companies harmed by Brexit

The government is launching a 12 billion forint (EUR 32.6m) second round of tenders for companies harmed by Brexit, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday.

Companies can apply for government support of up to 2 billion forints equal to their provable losses linked to the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union in the tender launching on Jan. 17, Szijjártó said.

The support can cover up to 70 percent of the losses of small enterprises, 60 percent of those of mid-size firms and 50 percent of large companies, he said.

The funding can be used to purchase equipment for technological development. It can also be used to upgrade infrastructure and real-estate, purchase licences and know-how, and make developments that curb energy consumption, he said.

In the first round last autumn, 37 companies received a total of 10.2 billion forints in support of investments worth a total of 19 billion, Szijjártó noted.

read also:

Hungary Szijjártó government Poland
Read alsoState support for Hungarian companies facing difficulties due to Brexit

State support for Hungarian companies facing difficulties due to Brexit

Hungary Szijjártó government Poland

Applications for state support can be submitted between October 11 and 15 by Hungarian companies that face difficulties as a result of Brexit, Hungary’s foreign minister said on Saturday.

Péter Szijjártó said on Facebook that the government had decided hardly a week ago not to wait for the European Union procedure which could extend for four years but offer support to Hungarian companies in trouble this year already.

Govt’s development schemes help ethnic Hungarian families make a living abroad

Brussels is blackmailing Hungary by withholding recovery money?

“Extended transfer is no solution right now, there is no time to wait because the economy will soon recover and our interest is that Hungarian companies should be well-capitalised and be able to take the best possible starting position now for the new global economic competition,” he said.

A HUF 22 billion (€ 63 million) allocation set up by the EU will be made available now from state resources to all Hungarian companies that are willing to carry out investment to boost exports despite the difficulties that result from Brexit, Szijjártó said.

Brand new north-south metro line in Budapest may become reality soon — PHOTOS

The main conditions for support have been published already a detailed announcement will be made on October 1, after which date Hungarian companies will have ten days to prepare their applications, he said.

Hungarian Justice Minister welcomes referendum initiative on EU migration politics

Judit Varga Justice Minister

Justice Minister Judit Varga on Friday welcomed an announcement of Michel Barnier, the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator, that he would initiate a referendum on migration later this month.

In a bilingual Facebook post, Varga said “just like Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated in his speech [at the 16th Strategic Forum] in Bled a week ago, Barnier also declared that Member States should now get back their legal sovereignty on migration issues so that their sovereign decisions cannot be overtaken by the Court of Justice of the European Union or the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.”

https://www.facebook.com/VargaJuditMinisterofJustice/posts/4767768259908759

“More and more people dare to express their disagreement on EU institutions interfering in the sovereign decisions of Member States,” Varga said.

Hungary has maintained from the “very beginning” that “the resettlement of migrants leads to the cultural self-surrender of Europe”, built a border fence to protect the country and asked Hungarian citizens on their opinion in a domestic referendum, she said.

Referring to the EU, Varga said “later, they launched an attack against us in both cases. Today, on the other hand, more and more people think that Hungary has made the right decision.

In fact, they would all do the same now. We are keen to see future developments,” she added.

Bookmakers: Hungary will not be the next to exit the EU

European Union Hungary Flag

Betting offices say that if another state follows in the footsteps of Great Britain, it will certainly not be Hungary. 

Ever since Brexit, the possibility to exit the European Community has become a reality. Whatever the consequences, politicians initiated talks in several countries. Lately, Hungary has been the loudest. 

Representatives of the government mentioned on several occasions that it might be beneficial for the country to leave the EU. Or, they highlighted the other side: what disadvantages Hungary would suffer if it stayed a member. 

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the first to conclude that “there is life outside the EU”.

He actually said these words over 20 years ago, in 1999, when the country was not a member yet. He referred to the hypothetical situation of Hungarians voting with NO in 2003. 

Pro-governmental political scientist Tamás Fritz wrote in Magyar Nemzet that “…the time has come, now in July 2021, to seriously consider the possibility of our withdrawal from a union of states with a thousand bleeding wounds, showing imperial symptoms, and treating Eastern and Central European countries incredibly arrogantly.”

Who and how would benefit from a possible Huxit?

As telex.hu writes, despite these somewhat harsh words,

international bookmakers see the situation differently, with significantly less chance of Hungary leaving.

In their opinion, the odds of this happening are only the 6th highest among the rest of the members. They need more time to consider the actual chance of this happening. Moreover, it is not even Poland that leads their list, as many would have imagined.

Currently, you can bet at five registered offices on European politics, more precisely on which country or countries would follow Britain, and who would be the quickest.

It may be surprising, but all offices put the biggest odds on Italy.

They believe that the country has a 1/3 chance to become fully sovereign again – even if the Treaty of Rome creating the European Economic Community was signed in Rome in 1957, with Italy being a founding state. Moreover, the current Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, is the former president of the European Central Bank. On the other hand, the coalition forming the government has three Eurosceptic parties involved. 

The list of potential “exiters” is the following: Greece (1/6), France (1/7), the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic (1/12).

Hungary and Poland follow significantly behind them, with the probability of one in fourteen.

What is your guess? Who will be the next one to leave the Community? 

Viktor Orbán climate
Read alsoPM Orbán’s minister revealed when and why Hungary could leave the EU!

More than 150,000 Hungarians apply for permanent UK residence by the deadline

tourism-women-airport-info-travel

By the end-June deadline, 154,100 Hungarian citizens had applied for a permanent residence permit in the UK, fresh Home Office figures released on Thursday show.

The British government has said that in justified cases, it will accept applications submitted beyond the deadline for an indefinite period.

The UK authorities have said the fact that an application has been made, in the period leading up to the assessment, guarantees EU citizens in the UK the rights they acquired before Brexit under British EU membership, even if their application for established status is submitted late.

After Brexit, Britain became Hungary’s biggest non-EU trading partner, the ambassador said.

Further, the UK has the biggest Hungarian-born population outside the Carpathian Basin and is the second or third largest destination for Hungarian students, the ambassador said, adding that Britain wants to strengthen bilateral relations.

human traffic
Read alsoHungarian human trafficking boss captured in the UK – VIDEO

Have financial advisers and banks abandoned British expats because of Brexit rules?

brexit

British expats living across Europe are being “routinely abandoned” by financial firms due to Brexit red-tape and complications, it has been revealed.

According to deVere Group, many UK banks and financial advisory companies are now unable or unwilling to work with British nationals, many of them pensioners, who live in the EU as industry rules have changed following the UK’s exit from the bloc, causing “distress, anguish and potential financial loss.”

There are more than 1.3 million British expats in Europe, according to official estimates.  However, the true figure is likely to be considerably higher as many do not always register with their new country of residence.

“Most British expats in Europe maintain strong financial links with the UK, but in the wake of the implementation of new Brexit rules and regulations, tens of thousands have been routinely abandoned by their financial services providers, such as advisers and banks,”

says James Green, Regional Manager of deVere Europe, part of one of the world’s leading financial advisory and fintech organisations, deVere Group.

He explains: “Pre-Brexit, UK-based financial advisers were legally allowed to advise expat clients in Europe through a system known as ‘passporting.’  But since the UK’s exit, those legal rights for UK-based companies have been revoked. 

“Following a transition period, since 1 July 2021, only those advisory firms that comply with local laws and regulations in each EU nation in which they operate are able to give financial advice to people resident in those countries. 

“This has meant that many UK-based advisory firms have been forced to ditch their expat clients as they are not now legally compliant to give advice in European Economic Area countries.”

Where does this leave clients?

“Clients typically build-up a long-term relationship based on trust and rapport with their financial advisers. They work closely so the client can reach their long-term financial goals for themselves and their loved ones. 

“The cutting of these ties has caused many to experience, distress, anguish and potential financial loss as their financial strategies might change too.”

James Green goes on to say that the issue extends to UK banks too.

Most of the major UK banks have already informed clients that they will no longer be able to provide them with banking services, unless they have a UK address.

“To operate without passporting becomes hugely complicated, incredibly time-consuming and very costly for banks. This is why they are unwilling to work with customers across Europe – even if they have been with them for decades and regardless of the size of their bank accounts.

“This has caused considerable disruption for many individuals, families, businesses and other organisations, especially where there are larger deposits, standing orders, regular payments and credit facilities to another bank.”

Many expats who have been affected by the changes to advisory and banking rules have sought alternatives with providers that already operate under pan-European rules in order to have a continuity of service and to sidestep avoidable problems.

Earlier this year, deVere Europe, which has 11 different regulatory licenses including for asset management, insurance and investment, forecast that demand for financial advice in Europe will increase by more than 20% this year as it surpassed more than £1bn of assets under management (AUM) in Europe alone for the first time. Globally, deVere Group has $12bn AUM.

Mr Green concludes:

“New Brexit-triggered rules for UK banks and financial advisory firms have left many British expats across Europe feeling worried.

“However, there are solutions. I would urge them to seek financial advice with a cross-border expert to discuss the many legitimate international opportunities available to them – especially as they can often capitalise on their expat status for their financial benefit.”

Jobbik MEP Gyöngyösi: What did the Brexit teach the EU?

Brexit European Union Great Britain

Remarks from Jobbik MEP Márton Gyöngyösi:

Although it’s not part of our daily discourse, it’s important to note that European nations came to the EU with quite diverse legacies and historical backgrounds. However, if we can’t talk about different aspects and perspectives, we will unfortunately make an easy target for populists. The case of the United Kingdom is a good example of the serious price you may sometimes have to pay.

The idea of the European community naturally has a different meaning for a millennium-old trade city lying in the continent’s heart than for a citizen of an island country.

It is especially so if this island country is Great Britain whose political moves and views have been characterized by a certain amount of suspicion and reservation in terms of Europe for centuries. No wonder the United Kingdom’s entry into the EU’s predecessor was no walk in the park, either. Although the past decades have seen the Brits assimilating to Europe in many respects (now we can truly see how much), but they have always been able to maintain a sort of isolation.

On the other hand, the world has changed a lot since the UK’s accession in 1973, even if the public discourse or the people might not have fully recognized it. The mistaken belief that Brexit will restore “the things as they were” came with a huge cost.

Most of the political elite probably had no idea what would happen to the UK after the “Leave or stay” referendum of 2016. The government was likely just aiming to pull pro-Brexiters’ teeth by holding a referendum that was supposed to bring victory for the “Stay” side, thus settling the matter for at least a generation. Of course, David Cameron and his advisors had a reason to expect such an outcome, since the EU’s benefits were obvious for them. However, they failed to consider the power that lies in nostalgia, the ignorance of facts and the populist politicians willing to capitalize on both.

Five years into the post-Brexit era, the case seems to be closed for the European Union.

We have severed all ties, Brexit is legally completed, but as far as the United Kingdom is concerned, these years may have just been the beginning of a real chaos, adding to the tremendous challenge London already had to face in terms of tackling the existing problems.

The list of troubles includes such international matters as renegotiating the trade and business agreements with the EU or the recent fishing rights dispute between France and the Channel Islands. These cases clearly show that the United Kingdom was not prepared for Brexit at all. Mind you, a full preparation would have been impossible, because the relations between Great Britain and the continent have grown closer by now than anyone could have expected fifty years ago.

In addition to the above problems affecting the UK’s international affairs, Brexit has clearly brought serious internal problems to the surface in 2021, too.

The most evident one is Northern Ireland, where the relative calm of the recent years have been replaced by renewed tensions between the Catholics and the Protestants. If the United Kingdom wants to make a deal with the EU, they will obviously have to either upset the protocols settling the Irish issue, thus angering the Catholics of Northern Ireland, or start letting go of Northern Ireland together with its loyalist Protestants, thus giving a push to the country’s disintegration as well, not least because of what is going on in Scotland where the voices calling for independence are louder and louder again.

Many Scots feel it’s a blatant slap in the face that they are forced to leave the EU because of the English votes, even though Scotland is mostly in favour of staying in the European Union, just like they voted for staying in the United Kingdom when it came to the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014.

Anyone who thought in 2016 that leaving the EU would bring back the time when the United Kingdom was the world’s No. 1 power must now experience a rude awakening to see that the process might get to the point where the real question is if the United Kingdom can stay together or will fall apart completely.

What can we say about it here in continental Europe? First of all, we can of course hope for the best, which means that Britain will stay on our side as a good neighbour and ally, albeit no Member State any longer.

We can also hope that the Brexit-induced uncertainties are over, and we can start moving closer to each other again to make mutually beneficial deals and develop profitable relations now as two separate entities.

I’m sure that both the British and the European side are in sore need of those.

On the other hand, we need to learn the lessons of Brexit, especially when the leaders of some countries with perhaps historically different attitudes than Western Europe are trying to play the same cards that the pro-Brexit side used five years ago. We must always remember one thing: Europe is us, together. If we fail to take care of each other and do something to stop suicidal politics, we can very quickly destroy everything we built up together. I hope we won’t let that happen.

orbán in china
Read alsoJobbik MEP Gyöngyösi: Has Hungary become China’s puppet?

EU launches website for citizens to discuss its future

VON DER LEYEN

The European Union launched on Monday a website for citizens to debate the future of the 27-nation bloc as the exit of Britain, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of nationalism force the EU to reflect on how it wants to develop.

The website, available for contributions in the EU’s 24 official languages, is part of what EU institutions call the Conference on the Future of Europe — a forum for debate to help identify issues the EU needs to address in the changing global context.

“The conclusions of the conference could be the backbone for reforms in the Union in the future,” one of the leaders of the initiative, member of European Parliament and former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt told a news conference.

“A new direction is needed. This conference can give an answer to that,” he said. Conclusions from the discussions are to be presented in the second quarter of 2022.

The website prompts debates on subjects including climate change, the environment, health, the economy, social justice and jobs, the role of the EU in the world, values and rights, the rule of law, security, digital transformation, democracy and migration. Citizens can also launch their own topics.

“We want to come closer to citizens, to listen to them,” Commission Vice President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Suica said.

“We want to hear from everyone.”

After starting in 1951 as an organisation of six countries to jointly regulate their industrial production, or what was then called the European Coal and Steel Community, the EU has since expanded to 28 countries in 2013 and shrunk back to 27 last year with the exit of Britain.

In the past 70 years, the challenges the bloc faces have changed as well. Rather than coordinate coal and steel output, or tackling the problems of post World War II Europe, the 27 countries now coordinate cuts in CO2 emissions to prevent climate change or the joint procurement of vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The website is the first EU attempt to listen to its citizens directly at a trans-national level, building on the experience of such exercises at country level, notably in France.

While some EU institutions and officials believe that it is not realistic to expect that the debate will produce changes in the EU treaties — the primary law of the Union — the option has not been explicitly excluded.

Make your voice heard – click here, and get to the new website

viktor orbán radio
Read alsoSurvey: Majority of Hungarians satisfied with government crisis management

Hungary aims for closest cooperation possible with UK, says foreign minister

London United Kingdom travel

Hungary aims to maintain the closest possible cooperation with the United Kingdom after Brexit, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in a video on Facebook on Wednesday.

Szijjártó noted that a trade deal signed by the European Union and the UK, which has been observed since January, was expected to enter into force at the beginning of May.

Because of the free trade deal, the non-tariff barriers between the UK and the EU place extra costs and burdens on both British and EU-based businesses, Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary would do everything it could to ensure that Hungarian companies get the most out of the agreement.

The EU and the UK are also aiming to work out a new procedure that will make the new form of cooperation manageable, he said.

Countries that adapt to the new conditions the quickest can gain a competitive advantage, Szijjártó said. Hungary will therefore do all it can to ensure that its companies maintain and improve their positions on UK market, he added.

As part of the government’s national export protection scheme, Hungary’s Eximbank has opened a 590 million euro credit line to help finance Hungarian-British business cooperation. Companies are also expected to have access to 15 billion forints (EUR 40.8m) in EU funding from the bloc’s Brexit Adjustment Reserve, he said.

Concerning other challenges posed by Brexit, Szijjártó noted that

the EU has lost roughly one-eighth of its population and one-seventh of its economic output as a result of the UK’s departure.

The UK is also a member of the United Nations Security Council and the world’s sixth largest economy, he noted.

Brexit, he said, was “especially difficult for Hungary, because Hungary and the UK were allies on a number of political issues”.

The UK is Hungary’s 13th most important trading partner and the 6th largest investor in the country, with 900 British companies employing some 55,000 Hungarians, the minister said.

During the pandemic, five of those companies, rather than reduce their capacities, took advantage of the government’s investment support scheme and invested over a combined 5.5 billion euros in Hungary, Szijjártó said.

cambridge university uk
Read alsoBrexit stopped Hungarian university applications

Over 130,000 Hungarians applied to stay in UK permanently

london londoners united kingdom england

More than 130,000 Hungarians have applied to stay in the UK permanently, according to figures released by Britain’s Home Office on Thursday.

The figures show that by December 31 last year, over five million European Union citizens applied, and in the list of countries Hungarians were in mid-field, with 131,120 applications.

At the top of the list were Poles, with 911,240 applications and Romanians with 836,980. Among central and eastern European countries, the lowest number of applications was submitted by Slovenians (4,410).

The British authorities assessed 4,514,250 applications by the end of last year and rejections were made in less than 3 percent of the cases.

Read alsoPost-Brexit travel requirements for Brits going to EU

Brexit stopped Hungarian university applications

cambridge university uk

The effects of Brexit can clearly be felt when it comes to Hungarian university applications. The new star destination could be the Netherlands, but British universities are also trying to do everything possible to avoid losing Hungarian and other EU students.

In the morning, statistics on students enrolling in UK universities were published by UCAS, the organisation that runs the UK admissions system. According to official data, this year,

58 per cent fewer Hungarian students applied to British universities by the January deadline: only 430 compared to 1,030 last year.

However, it was not only applications from Hungary that decreased. EU applications fell by 40 per cent. Last year, there were 43,030 applicants, while this year, only 26,010 students applied, writes Forbes.hu. 

There are three main reasons for the decline: 

  1. increased tuition,
  2. the loss of a discounted student loan, and
  3. the requirement for a mandatory student visa.

Universities in the UK are working hard to get students back. “The decline in the number of students applying from the EU is cause for concern. It remains an important task for the British government and universities to work together to demonstrate the value of European students to them. This requires, on the one hand, maintaining the image of the United Kingdom as a high-quality destination for further education and, on the other hand, introducing new types of financial support solutions,” said Alistair Jarvis, Managing Director of Universities UK. Several British universities have developed EU scholarships. Some institutions have decided to freeze tuition fees.

One of the big winners of Brexit could be the Netherlands.

In the Netherlands, there are high-quality English-language courses with favourable tuition fees. “Unfortunately, the expected scenario has been confirmed. Although their quality has not changed, Hungarian students’ interest in British universities has decreased significantly, mainly due to financial considerations. Another big question is how many of the 430 Hungarian students who applied will eventually be able to actually start their studies from September 2021, and how many will choose to postpone or rather choose the Netherlands and other European countries. We hope that the downturn is only temporary, and within a few years, new solutions will emerge that will make the UK more accessible to Hungarian students again,” said Balázs Lévai, the head of Engame Academy.

Hungary’s approach in connection with Brexit appreciated by UK, says Hungarian ambassador

hungarian ambassador to london

The UK has not only noticed but expressed appreciation for Hungary’s approach towards certain positions on Brexit, the Hungarian ambassador to the UK said in an interview with daily Magyar Nemzet on Thursday.

Right from the start, Hungary rejected a way of thinking about Brexit which involved efforts by some “to teach the UK a lesson” because of their decision to exit the European Union, Ferenc Kumin said.

Hungary tried to exert influence to prevent that this way of thinking should become prevalent when EU decisions were made about Brexit, he said. UK-Hungary relations in the post-Brexit period are characterised by this positive atmosphere, Kumin said.

“We are looking forward to a much more fruitful period of more extensive cooperation because in 2021 there are more things that connect us than at any point in the past one hundred years,” he added.

The value of Hungary as a target for investment has increased after Brexit, which is already reflected in investors’ decisions, he said.

“We know of several British companies that plan to enter or expand in Hungary and talks are in an advanced stage,” Kumin said.

Commenting on existing educational programmes and scientific cooperation organised in the EU framework, he said these would be replaced by bilateral agreements. Negotiations have already suggested that British universities need the foreign students and extra income lost because of Brexit, he added. “We have learnt by now that we need not worry about the brain-drain as much as we did in the 2000s,” he said.

“We know that there will be some people we lose but those that return to Hungary with the knowledge they acquired will have acquired skills and a network of relations that will compensate for any potential loss,” he added.

Kumin also said that the embassy’s work will also involve addressing “biased criticism of Hungarian government decisions based on inaccurate information”.

cambridge university uk
Read alsoHungarian students are looking for new destinations after Brexit

Post-Brexit travel requirements for Brits going to EU

Sponsored content

2021 marks the start of a new era for the United Kingdom and its citizens. The Brexit saga is finally over — as of the end of last year, the country is no longer part of the EU, the common market, or any of the rules or systems governed by the European Commission.

Brits travelling to European Union countries now do so as citizens of a third country, no longer enjoying the status of being an EU citizen. This means that the entry requirements for British nationals travelling to a country like France have changed and are set to change even further in the near future.

These changes are far more than simply joining a different queue at passport control. The EU plans to introduce further security measures for travellers from third countries, which now includes the UK.

The Upcoming ETIAS

If you are a UK citizen, one big entry requirement for the EU that you may have to contend with in the near future is the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

This is a digital visa waiver system modelled on the US ESTA, which requires visa-free travellers to register their details online before making the journey to the destination.

If you want to visit France without going through the hassle of getting a visa, you will have to register with ETIAS France after the system is launched in 2022.

Until then, Brits can visit France, Hungary, and other EU countries without any sort of travel authorisation or visa. However, it is important to check the current coronavirus travel restrictions, as some countries may bar entry to those arriving from the UK if cases in Britain and Northern Ireland are high.

Does your passport need to be renewed?

If you are travelling to France or elsewhere in Europe on a British passport, you should check that it meets the new criteria for entry to the EU.

Firstly, the passport must have at least 6 months left in terms of validity. If it is set to expire in less than 6 months, you will not be able to enter an EU or Schengen Area country with it. In this case, you should apply to renew your passport.

Secondly, your UK passport should be less than 10 years old. Documents older than this are not accepted for entry. Again, if this applies to your passport, you must renew it before travelling to France.

The same applies for travelling to Hungary or any other country in the EU and/or Schengen Area, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland.

Healthcare requirements for Brits visiting Europe

If you are a British citizen heading to an EU country, you will be glad to know that you can continue to use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if you need medical treatment during your trip.

The EHIC does not cover treatment in the non-EU members of the Schengen Area (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein), so Brits heading to these nations should get the travel insurance that covers any potential healthcare they may need. For France, however, the EHIC will do the job.

If you do not have an EHIC or if yours has been lost or expired, you will most likely be unable to apply for a new one. Only British students studying in the EU and some British State Pensioners who live in the EU (along with their families) are allowed to apply for an EHIC since Brexit. Brits with dual citizenship who are also a national of an EU member may obtain an EHIC via their other nationality.

EU nationals living in the UK also maintain the right to apply for a new EHIC and use it throughout Europe.

If you do not have an EHIC, you will not be covered for any healthcare while in the EU. Therefore, health insurance is highly recommended when visiting France or any other EU/Schengen member state.

Driving in the EU after Brexit

If you want to drive to France, taking your car on the ferry, there are a couple of items you will need. You will need a physical copy of a “green card” to prove that your vehicle is insured. Your car must also have a “GB” sticker on it.

Depending on your licence, you might need to get an international driving permit to drive in some EU countries. This may be the case if you have a paper licence or if your driving licence was issued by Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man.

Free mobile roaming no longer guaranteed

EU policy includes free roaming data throughout all member states. However, since the UK is no longer part of the bloc, Brits no longer have this guaranteed.

If you are heading to France or any other EU country, check with your phone operator whether you will get free roaming during your trip to avoid getting any surprise charges.

If you forget to do this, the good news is that you will be notified once you accrue a charge of £45 and will need to opt in to spend more on roaming.

Differences at border control

As well as using a different lane, Brits entering EU countries may now be asked to show a return or onward ticket as proof that they intend to leave after a short stay. It might also be necessary to show proof of sufficient funds to pay for your trip and support yourself while staying in the country.

There are also bans on bringing certain products into the EU from third countries that now apply to the UK. These include meat, milk, and certain plants, among other things.

The UK still enjoys visa exemption for EU countries for short trips as a tourist. However, British citizens are no longer allowed to live, work, study, do business, or stay long-term in any European Union country apart from Ireland unless they have the relevant visa or permit.

If you are travelling for any of these reasons, make sure you have the relevant paperwork when you arrive at border control or you might find yourself on a flight back to the UK.