Following EU elections, the Hungarian Presidency will need to ensure a smooth transition to the next five-year legislative term. However, Hungarian civil society organisations are concerned that several important topics are missing from the Hungarian EU Presidency’s list of priorities. The Great Lakes and Wetlands Association and the Civilisation Coalition have therefore come together to launch a parallel Civil EU Presidency, prioritising democracy, solidarity and the green transition.

Zoltán Kun, President of the Great Lakes and Wetlands Association, says: “The Civil EU Presidency is a collective effort of NGOs from various fields working for a sustainable and inclusive European society. We are launching the Civil EU Presidency to support national governments, EU institutions and the development of the EU’s priorities for the period between 2024 and 2029. We are involving Brussels-based and Polish civil society organisations because our aim is to make the Civil EU Presidency a permanent feature of the next presidencies of the rotating presidency.”

The NGOs will organise seven international events in Budapest echoing the seven priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency. Issues covered will include updating Member States’ Roma strategies; improving civil space to guarantee democracy; increasing the role of women in decision and policy making; guaranteeing environmental justice and the continuation of the European Green Deal.

The Hungarian Government’s official programme sends a worrying signal that the Green Deal might be replaced with an EU Competitiveness Deal, setting back the EU as leaders in delivering essential international biodiversity and climate targets.

Civil EU Presidency events focusing on the Green Deal will include the implementation of the EU Water Resilience Strategy; the status of EU forests; and the local implications of implementing the EU Battery Strategy. The EEB will support the event on Implementing the EU’s Water Resilience strategy in September.

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