Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo hands over the baton of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to Hungary

Brussels – With the conclusion of the European Council yesterday (June 27), the Belgian six-month presidency also came to an end. The final press conference of the European Council, which presented the three new top appointments to the European Union (Ursula von der Leyen at the European Commission, António Costa at the European Council, and Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) was also an opportunity for Belgian rotating president Alexander De Croo to sum up his six-month presidency, before
leaving Viktor Orban and Hungary in charge.

It has been a busy six months that advanced many legislative files and concluded as many as 69. De Croo recalled the progress made during his tenure, emphasizing the significant achievements such as the start of accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova and the use of frozen Russian assets (due to sanctions against Moscow’s war of aggression) to finance Kyiv. The Belgian Presidency, the Prime Minister claims, was also able to move forward on complicated and controversial but crucial issues for the EU, such as the implementation of the Green Deal and the migration issue.

De Croo recalled the complexity of the moment in which the Belgian presidency took over with a war on the Union’s doorstep and the conflict in the Middle East. In this regard, the Prime Minister welcomed the sanctions the EU imposed against Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad but at the same time also against Israeli colonialism in the West Bank. Regarding the internal market, on the other hand, De Croo focused on the progress toward European companies’ quest for competitiveness. With this in mind, the presentation of Enrico Letta’s report, which took place under the Belgian presidency, was highly relevant.

The Belgian Prime Minister then wished Viktor Orban, who will officially take over the Presidency on Monday (July 1), all the best in his work. De Croo expressed confidence that even during the Hungarian semester, the EU can continue to support Ukraine and continue on the path of the twin green and digital transition. The Belgian Prime Minister then sought to calm tempers over whether the Presidency of the EU Council would fall to the Euroskeptic Orban, stating, “Having this post does not mean you are the boss of the EU. Instead, you have a duty to lead the work.” De Croo also bequeathed a piece of advice to his Hungarian colleague: “The European Union is a place where you have to make compromises. I recommend it to Orban.”

With the European Council comes the end of the thirteenth Belgian Presidency of the EU, “For me, it has been an enormous privilege and a great honor to be Prime Minister during the Belgian presidency,” De Croo said movingly. “The European Union is the best place to live, but only by working together can we maintain and improve our prosperity.”