Joint Statement Summit of the Heads of Government of the Visegrad Group

The Heads of Government of the Visegrad Group met in Budapest on 20 July 2010 on the occasion of the official end of the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group and the handover of the Presidency to the Slovak Republic.

The Hungarian V4 Presidency Program has been successfully implemented and the main goals have been achieved in the following key areas: the promotion—through the V4+ format of cooperation—of the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans and the Euro-Atlantic alignment of the Eastern Partners, strengthening energy security of our region, adoption of a common spatial development document, commencing V4 cooperation in the field of Roma integration.

The Heads of Government of the Visegrad Group adopted the Program of the Slovak Presidency of the Visegrad Group for the next one year period of July 2010-June 2011, with its main priorities aiming at further strengthening closer regional cooperation of the Visegrad Group within the framework of the European agenda in key areas like preparation of the EU budget revision and new financial perspective, implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy, energy security, climate change, competitiveness, infrastructure development, economic cooperation, social inclusion of the Roma population, as well as promotion of joint events on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Visegrad Group. The Visegrad Group will continue to implement its key foreign policy priorities and common goals within the European Union with particular attention to the regions of the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership.

The four Prime Ministers equally attach great importance to the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region, which convey a positive message on Central Europe while strengthening its cohesion as an integral part of the European Union.

The Prime Ministers discussed the upcoming Hungarian and Polish Presidencies of the Council of the European Union and have recognized them, with the strong cooperation of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, as a historic opportunity to make 2011 a "year of Central Europe" in the EU. They declared their commitment to the success of the two Central European EU Presidencies with the ultimate objective of a strong Central Europe in a strong European Union.