Nine European Presidents meet in Budapest

Presidents of nine EU Member States on the balcony of the Sándor Palace in Budapest. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

European regional cooperation, multiculturalism and the European identity, and the economic situation in Europe were among the topics of the meeting of the Presidents of nine EU Member States organised in Budapest on 8–9 April 2011. In addition to the Presidents of Finland and host country Hungary, the participants of the meeting included the Presidents of Germany, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Slovenia and Latvia. The next meeting of the Presidents of the so-called Arraiolos Group will be organised in Finland in February 2012.

On Friday, 8 April the Presidents discussed regional cooperation in the Baltic Sea, Danube and Mediterranean regions. In the present situation the development of the operations of the Union for the Mediterranean was considered particularly important with regard to the relations between the EU and North Africa. The strategy of the Baltic Sea region was seen as a suitable model for cooperation in the Danube region.

Importance of integration

Multiculturalism and the European identity also featured in the discussion on Friday. The integration of immigrants was considered paramount. President Halonen stressed that the Roma question is a joint concern for all of Europe. Indeed, the Union’s first political Roma strategy is likely to emerge during the ongoing Hungarian EU Presidency.

On Friday President Halonen also had a bilateral meeting with Federal President of Germany Christian Wulff.

The discussion continued on Saturday, 9 April, with topics including the EU strategy for the future. President Halonen delivered a statement at the joint luncheon and had a bilateral meeting with the Federal President of Austria Heinz Fischer.

At the press conference on Saturday President Halonen said she invited her colleagues to Finland for the next presidential meeting, which will be held in February 2012. The Presidents accepted the invitation unanimously.

The meeting in Budapest was hosted by Pál Schmitt, President of Hungary, and in addition to President Halonen the other participants were: Christian Wulff, Federal President of Germany; Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy; Aníbal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal; Bronisław Komorowski, President of Poland; Heinz Fischer, Federal President of Austria; Danilo Türk, President of Slovenia; and Valdis Zatlers, President of Latvia.

The meeting was one in a series of presidential meetings; the name of the group comes from the town of Arraiolos, Portugal, where the first meeting was held in 2003. Subsequent meetings have taken place in Finland in 2005, in Germany in 2006, in Latvia in 2007, in Austria in 2008 and in Italy in 2009. 

Federal President of Germany Christian Wulff and President Tarja Halonen at their bilateral meeting in Budapest on 8 April 2011. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

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