2011: Challenging year for Europe. Central Europe must show strong leadership.

"This year, Hungary, and then Poland, will be taking over the rotating Presidency of the European Union. This is the first time when two Central European countries will follow each other in the rotating Presidency. This provides both challenge and opportunity for Central Europe to prove their leadership skills and efficiently manage the crucial issues that Europe is facing. I know both Viktor Orbán and Donald Tusk very well, and I know that they will be good captains for Europe",  continued the Chairman of the EPP Group.

"In a time when economic recovery and financial stability are essential for Europe, it can serve as an impetus that both the Hungarian and the Polish governments are committed to strict fiscal balance and growth-oriented economic policies which focus on job creation. These policies are essential for reaching the targets we set in the EU2020 Strategy on growths and jobs", said Joseph Daul.

"Besides the economic and financial hardships, in the first part of the year Hungary should also resolve several other key issues such as the start of the negotiations on the future of Common Agriculture Policy and Cohesion Policy. The Hungarian Presidency will also lay special emphasis on enhancing the Eastern Partnership Programme and Enlargement Strategy, strengthening energy security, promoting regional cooperation, and aims to create the Danube strategy and adopt a European Strategy on Roma. This agenda looks ambitious and thus vests much responsibility on the shoulders of the Hungarian Presidency", pointed out Mr Daul.

"Viktor Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister and for 6-months, President of the rotating European Presidency, has recently said that all these hitches will make 2011 one of the most difficult ones in the last 20 years. I believe that this year will be not only difficult, but full with successes for Europe. I am personally confident that Hungary, and then Poland, will successfully lead the European Union back to recovery and financial stability. In our common effort to build a strong Europe, I will do my best inside and outside the European Parliament to support their endeavours in dealing with all ongoing and new challenges facing the EU in 2011", concluded Joseph Daul Chairman of the EPP Group.