Current tasks of the EU integration of the Hungarian agricultural economy

Integration negotiations with the EU started on 31st March 1998. Hungary wishes to integrateing its agriculture as soon as possible into the common agricultural policy of the EU. Considering its traditions and the socio-economic environment, the Hungarian agriculture is similar to that of the well-developed Western European countries. Even the problems are also similar. The differences in the structure of production, ownership, price system and regulation should not slow down the process of integration. As in most Member States, Hungarian agriculture is dominant in rural life. It contributes to the preservation of traditions and to the achievement of landscape and environmental objectives.
    The natural and climatic conditions of our country are more favourable to agriculture than those of the average country in ofthe EU. Hungary has the potential in the medium to long term to expand agricultural output to meet export as well as domestic demand. During the accession negotiations the EU must recognise that Hungary's present production and consumption levels, and those of the recent past, do not represent the normal level which might be expected once the problems of transition are over.
    In some sectors the technical preparation for EU Accession is well advanced. For example, following nearly two years of negotiations an EU-Hungarian agreement on animal and plant health matters is close to finalisation.
    In the course of the adoption of EU market regulations, preparation consisted of the collection and detailed study of every law concerning every product that are governed by the EU common market regulations. On the basis of this information, action-plans have been created. For every product group and for every six month, the plan lists the essential tasks into five categories (approximation of the regulations, institutional development, subsidies, statistics, human policy).
    From the listed tasks should enable our country by January 2002, as a full Member of the European Union, to fulfil the obligations set forth in the regulations, and to receive every advantage of the membership. Relying on the action plans, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Ddevelopment has elaborated the National Program for the Adoption of Acquis (The "Acquis Communautaire" is the body of rules and regulations governing all aspects of community life and work.).
    A significant proportion (about 80%) of the regulations on food has already been adopted. The remaining regulations will have been introduced into the Hungarian system of laws by the end of 1999. This allows time for the companies inof the food industry to develop their own plans for life in the EU. Hungary's progress to date has been acknowledged by the European Commission in its latest country-report.
    Rural development is an important part of the Agricultural Programme, which was elaborated during the previous year. The Programme contains many elements that are compatible with the subsidy system of the European Union and practice in other Member States. Some of these elements have already been included in the Hungarian agricultural subsidy system for 1998.
    On the basis of the National Program for the Adoption of Acquis, plans of developments to be implemented with PHARE help have been elaborated. These developments cover the following: statistics (land register, register of land owners, etc.); consumers protection in the fields of plant and animal health;, the development and assurance of the quality of plants; the establishment and development of institutions to operate the EU support measures; environmental protection; and the , development of human resources.