Main results of the Hungarian EU Council Presidency in the field of home affairs

Abstract

Between 1st January and 30th June 2011 Hungary held the rotating presidency of the European Union for the first time. This task was a major challenge for the Hungarian public administration, considering that it was an unprecedented event. In recent years and under the Hungarian EU Presidency (due to anticipated and unanticipated actual developments) European public opinion was focusing on justice and home affairs cooperation mainly on issues of home affairs cooperation. Hungarian public administration had to implement a very ambitious program in a particularly difficult period (e. g. the “Arab spring” and its consequences that put the Schengen system to a test). Main results of home affairs policies under the Hungarian Presidency are outlined by the paper.