henvendelse fra Ungarns Ambassade om Wider Europe, Ungarn

Alm. del - bilag 195 (offentligt)

The Conference of the Nyíregyháza Initiative was held on 16-17 October 2003 in the city of Nyíregyháza. Besides the representatives of the target countries from local and centre level, EU, CoE, SP, EBRD, EIB, CEI, AEBR attended the meeting.

Participants of the Conference noted with satisfaction that the "Nyíregyháza Initiative" aims to contribute to the implementation of the EU New Neighbourhood Policy (Wider-Europe concept). They agreed that the Initiative would focus on the Eastern-European region, particularly on those states that become new neighbours to the enlarging European Union. They welcomed that the general objective of the Initiative is to strengthen ties of local and regional authorities across the new EU eastern borders, develop co-operation and promote partnerships between them.

Participants expressed their commitment to promote cross-border co-operations of local authorities with special regard to the border region covered by the Carpathian Euroregion. They highlighted their view that cross-border co-operation will play an important role also after the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union - by establishing contacts for regions situated along the external borders of the EU. They believed that these co-operations could help mitigating the dividing character of borders, could promote EU- integration and could assist in getting closer people living on both sides of the border. Participants expressed their hope that as the European integration develops and the new Europe is formed, greater attention will be paid to the activities of the Euroregions in the policy of the European Union.

They underlined that forms of cross-border co-operation could promote the free movement of and co-operation among peoples of the region, the development of relations on the basis of European norms and values and fostered cross-border co-operation. In addition to reaffirming their support, they encouraged the local authorities, euroregions of the region to preserve, further develop and realise their basic principles and objectives.

Participants emphasised that training the representatives of local governments to meet the requirements and norms set by European integration is necessary. In this context they fully supported the plan to establish a training centre in Nyiregyhåza, which will make an important contribution to this effort.

Participants expressed their full support to the work of the Initiative and underlined that they - within their possibilities - would continue to provide all necessary assistance to the realisation of the goals set by the Conference/Initiative.

16-17 October, 2003, Nyíregyháza

*) Henvendelse fra den ungarske ambassade vedr. Wider-Europe