30 August 2024

The series of parliamentary events linked to the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2024 continues with the Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), to be held on 9-10 September 2024. The event, expected to be attended by 250 participants, provides a framework for interparliamentary discussions of current issues in the field of CFSP and CSDP. Delegations participating at the conference will comprise representatives of European national parliaments and the European Parliament; and representatives from EU candidate countries and from NATO European member states’ parliaments will be present as observers.

Zsolt Németh, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Lajos Kósa, Chair of the Committee on Defence and Law Enforcement of the Hungarian National Assembly will co-host the conference in Budapest. János Latorcai, Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly will hold the welcoming address of the event. Four topics are on the agenda: 1) The future Europe and the countries wishing to join the EU; 2) Priorities and current issues of the CFSP/CSDP; 3) Protection of the external borders and illegal migration; 4) Geopolitical, strategic shifts in the world. The position of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU on these issues will be presented by keynote speakers János Bóka, Minister for European Union Affairs; by Péter Sztáray, State Secretary responsible for security policy and energy security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and by Bence Rétvári, Deputy Minister for Interior. Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for the Neighbourhood and Enlargement; Pia Kauma, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Simon Mordue, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service will also participate as further keynote speakers.

Read more about the CFSP/CSDP Conference and follow its broadcasting.