The start of the year has seen the Presidency of the Council of the EU pass to Hungary, the final country in the current ‘trio’ presidency, which has also included Spain and Belgium. Hungary’s presidency kicked off with a large-scale event in Budapest on New Year’s Eve entitled “Europe is Us”, which included a line up of acts performing folk, electronic and jazz music as well as the national anthem and fireworks at midnight. Hungary has chosen growth and employment, a stronger Europe, a citizen friendly Union and enlargement and neighbourhood policy as its priorities for the 6 month term, although concerns have been raised as to whether the introduction of Hungary’s controversial new media law (see ’the Bad News’) may somewhat overshadow their programme for the Presidency.

European Union, 2011