Hungarian EU presidency working to develop EU-Chile economic ties

Hungary’s EU presidency is striving to develop economic and trade cooperation between the European Union and Chile, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Santiago de Chile on Monday.

The European Union is becoming less competitive, Szijjártó said before meeting Chilean counterpart Alberto van Klaveren Stork, listing “flawed” policies in connection with the war in Ukraine which, he insisted, had led to higher energy prices and the “politicising of economic and commercial relations in Brussels”.

EU’s external economic and trade relations “are narrowing continually”, he added.

He said Hungary’s EU presidency is focusing on shaping the bloc’s external economic and trade relations. Chile’s economy is deeply integrated into world trade, enjoying free trade agreements with 30 states.

“Brussels bureaucrats would do well to enroll on a course in Santiago on how to conclude free trade agreements effectively,” he said.

Closer cooperation with Chile would give the European economy a new impetus, the minister said, noting that Hungary wants to see through the ratification of the so-called modern framework agreement between the EU and Chile this year.

“Naturally, Hungary wishes to be leading this process, so the issue of ratifying the EU-Chile modern framework agreement will be on the agenda during parliament’s autumn session. We trust the other countries will also do so, and Brussels institutions won’t delay the process,” he said.

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