Europe’s new power duo? Hungary and France strike major deals on nukes, defence, and farming
Cooperation in the nuclear industry, the protection of European farmers, and the development of the defence industry are strategic areas of importance in the context of “already extremely close” ties between Hungary and France, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Paris on Thursday.
After talks with French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, he said both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining national sovereignty, restoring European competitiveness, and strengthening Europe’s defence industry. Further, they agreed on protecting European farmers and agriculture, adding that “discrimination against nuclear energy is unacceptable”.
While the European Commission “wants to deprive” farmers of the funding “they are entitled to”, France and Hungary “agree that farmers and agriculture must not be sacrificed on the altar of any financial considerations,” he said.
Szijjártó made clear to his counterpart that Hungary would not support the commission’s seven-year EU budget proposal “under any circumstances”, as depriving farmers of a large amount of funding was “unacceptable”.
Regarding the defence industry, he said bilateral cooperation had become “close and fruitful”, noting delivery of the final instalment of 36 helicopters critical to Hungarian air defence and a new plant in Hungary to manufacture parts for Airbus helicopters.
Szijjártó also mentioned cooperation in the space industry, noting close cooperation between Hungarian companies and French space research and aerospace company Thales.
The French foreign minister and Szijjártó agreed on further developing Hungarian-French cooperation in these areas, according to a ministry statement.
The minister called this “good news”, saying that G7 member France, “one of the strongest countries in Europe”, shared goals and interests in areas of strategic importance for Hungary.
Szijjártó meets with France’s industry minister
Szijjártó met with the French Minister for Industry and Energy, Marc Ferracci, during a visit to Paris on Thursday, his ministry said in a statement.
Szijjártó said strengthening Hungarian-French nuclear cooperation is of critical importance, as it will be a fundamental bastion of Hungary’s energy security in the coming years.
The minister noted that due to economic growth, industrial energy demand, and climate change, the world will need much more electricity in the coming period than before.
“This drastically increasing demand for electricity can only be met in an environmentally friendly, reliable and cheap way with nuclear energy. Therefore, both Hungary and France, pursuing a rational, common-sense energy policy, reject all pressure and negative discrimination against nuclear energy,” Szijjártó said.
He said closer cooperation in the field of nuclear energy was in the interest of Hungary and added that “in this regard, the French want the same. For the Paks [nuclear power plant] upgrade, Framatome will supply the power plant’s control system, and a large French company will also manufacture the turbines for the new plant”.
Szijjártó noted that constructing the new nuclear power plant in Paks as quickly as possible will guarantee the security of Hungarian energy supply and the ability to maintain the lowest utility prices in Europe, making the improvement of Hungarian-French nuclear cooperation absolutely critical in importance.
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