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Hungary

 Flag of Hungary

Last reviewed: 14 October 2009

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with the UK

Hungary is a member of the Council of Europe, OSCE, OECD, NATO and (since 2004) the European Union.  Along with Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic she is also a member of the so-called Visegrad-4 Group (V4).   Hungary plays an active role in overseas peace-keeping and security operations, primarily in the Balkans but also in Afghanistan, where they have troops and a PRT, and Iraq.  Hungary has a strong interest in the social and cultural well-being of ethnic Hungarians in neighbouring countries (i.e. in territory that was part of Hungary before the country was reduced in size by roughly two-thirds at the Treaty of Trianon, 1920).  

There is a healthy trade and investment relationship and British tourists frequently visit.  Hungarians work and study in UK, but not in anything like the numbers of other Central European countries; Hungary has a low migration rate, Hungarians tend to stay at home.   UK and Hungary governments discuss a wide range of issues - from EU Justice and Home Affairs policy, agriculture, climate change and energy, to foreign policy issues such as EU enlargement, Russia and developments in the Balkans.   On some issues there is common ground but on others, Hungarian and British interests and positions diverge (e.g CAP, WTD, data protection, EU integration) and lobbying can be difficult.

Relations between the UK and Hungary at official level are friendly, but there have been few high-level visits recently from the UK, in comparison to some other EU MSs.  The UK is not naturally one of Hungary's first partners of choice; these are neighbours Germany and Austria, and, increasingly, France (Sarkozy has visited several times)

Recent Visits

Inward

  • Ferenc Gyurcsány, Prime Minister, June 2006
  • Ferenc Gyurcsány, Prime Minister, April 2007
  • Janos Koka - Minister of Economy and Transport and Janos Veres,Finance Minister, October 2007
  • Kinga Göncz, Foreign Minister, January 2008
  • Imre Szabo, Environment Minister, October 2008

Outward

  • Lord Mayor, July 2006
  • Dennis MacShane MP, October 2006
  • Geoff Hoon, Minister for Europe, March 2007
  • Meg Hillyer,  May 2008
  • Jim Murphy, Minister for Europe, September 2008
  • HRH The Queen visited Hungary in May 1993 and HRH The Prince of Wales last visited in April 2000

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Contacts

Hungary

Address:

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
35 Eaton Place
London SW1X 8BY

Consular Section
35B Eaton Place
Lonson SW1X 8BY


Commercial Section:
46 Eaton Place
London SW1X 8AL


Hungarian Cultural Centre:
10 Maiden Lane
London WC2E 7NA

Telephone:

(020) 7201 3440
(020) 7235 2664 (Consular)
09065 508 936 9 (Consular Recorded Information)
(020) 7235 8767 (Commercial)
(020) 7240 8448 (Hungarian Cultural Centre)

Fax:

(020) 7823 1348


Email: office.lon@kum.hu
Email: titkarsag.lon@kum.hu


Website: www.mfa.gov.hu/emb/london

Office hours:

Mon–Thur: 0830–1700 
Fri: 0830-1400     
Mon-Fri: 0930-1200 (Consular)