Albares receives Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to discuss the European and bilateral agenda

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, meets with his Hungarian counterpart, Péter Szijjártó

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, has received his Hungarian colleague, Péter Szijjártó, with whom he discussed bilateral relations to analyse trade exchanges, as well as the evolution of the cultural cooperation programmes signed between the two countries.

During the working meeting with the Hungarian foreign minister, he gave a broad overview of the main international issues with his European partner, which is also a member of the Atlantic Alliance, where they share common challenges.

The meeting between the two ministers also enabled them to focus on the main EU issues, with special reference to the enlargement of the European Union, competitiveness and industry, the Southern Neighbourhood, the EU-Mercosur Agreement and the official status of the co-official Spanish languages in the EU.

Trade and cultural relations

Almost 11,000 Hungarians live in Spain, compared to 940 Spaniards living in Hungary. This exchange is also reflected in the commercial sphere. By sectors of exports to Hungary, the main item is semi-manufactured goods (24%), followed by foodstuffs (22%) and capital goods (21%).

There is a growing interest in the Spanish language in Hungary. In the 2023/24 school year, there were 1,211 students in primary and 15,131 in secondary education studying Spanish, with about 253 teachers. The main asset in teaching Spanish is the network of bilingual sections, present in seven secondary schools, with a total of 1,000 students and 70 teachers.

Non official translation