Az Európai Bizottság Magyarországi Képviselete, Budapest

On 1 May 2004 Hungary became a full member of the European Union. The Delegation of the European Commission to Hungary had fulfilled its mission, and its successor, the European Commission Representation in Hungary, came into operation. The primary task of the Representation is to relay the policies, major events, measures and opinions of the European Commission to the Hungarian media, social and economic actors and the broader public. The Representation is also responsible for informing the Commission about developments in Hungary. With effect from 01 September 2005, Mr Gábor György was appointed as the first Hungarian Head of Representation to manage the institution, which has now been selected as one of the eleven pilot Commission Representations to implement specific tasks with an enhanced profile. Frans Andriessen, then vice-president of the Commission, opened the Delegation of the Commission in a villa on Budapest's Gellért Hill on 29 November 1990. This was only two years after Hungary became one of the first countries in Central and Eastern Europe to establish diplomatic relations with the European Community in 1988. Initially, six diplomats, led by Ambassador Mr Hans Beck and helped by Hungarian co-workers, worked at the Delegation. The ambassador's post was held by Mr Michael Lake from April 1998. Staff numbers grew over the years until, in 2000, the Hungarian Delegation - with 60 employees -was one of the largest of the 126 delegations across the world. From November 2001 until September 2004, Mr Jürgen Köppen headed the Delegation. Thomas Glaser was acting head of Representation until 31 May 2005, and was succeeded in this position by Commission Advisor Mr Axel R. Bunz. With effect from 01 September 2005, Mr Gábor György was appointed as the first Hungarian Head of Representation to manage the institution, which has now been selected as one of the eleven pilot Commission Representations to implement specific tasks with an enhanced profile.