Thesis analysing V4 co-operation wins this year's EU competition, Budapest, 17 March 2022

On 17 March 2022, the award ceremony of the competition titled ‘Hungary and the Central European Region in the European Union, the European Union in the World’ launched by the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Minister of Justice and the Head of the European Commission Representation in Hungary was held in the Parliament building. The event took place with physical attendance, while the ambassadors of EU member countries accredited to Budapest were able to follow the event online with English-language interpreting provided.

The last call for entries in the European Union-themed competition open to university and college students, which has a track record going back 28 years, was opened on 30 September 2021. The entries received by the deadline of 10 January 2022 were assessed by a three-member panel of experts on 16 February 2022. The five winners were presented with their awards in the Parliament building by László Kövér, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Oszkár Ökrös, State Secretary for EU Affairs at the Ministry of Justice and Gábor Zupkó, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Hungary on 17 March. The first prize was awarded to Simon Benjámin Fellegi, a fresher of the International Relations Master's programme at Corvinus University of Budapest, who, in his thesis, analysed some of the current areas of Visegrád co-operation on a historical timeline. The author's research focused on four areas: the relation of V4 countries with neighbouring non-EU countries to the East and South of Hungary; energy security; defence and security policy and the refugee crisis. In the opinion of the Jury, the author's choice of topic and research was commendable, the essay was outstandingly well-structured, and the conclusions drawn by the author were worthy of further discussion or reflection. The winner of the second prize is Dr Péter Ferenc Belcsák, a law student at Eötvös Lóránd University, who, in his thesis, explored the possible directions of reforming the European Union and analysed the value debates surrounding it, including developments concerning the rule of law. Marcell Pethő, a law student at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, was awarded the third prize for his essay on the digital challenges facing the European Union and the responses given to them. In addition to the winners of the first three prizes, the expert panel  has decided to grant two special awards as well. The first special award was handed over to Laura Dominika Mihály, a fifth-grade law student at Széchenyi István University, for her thesis, which focused primarily on civil law, and in particular contract law. The second special award was granted to Barbara Horváth, a law student at Széchenyi István University, for her research on the UK's exit from the European Union.

In line with the conditions of the competition, the winner of the first, second and third prizes will receive HUF 5000 000, HUF 400 000 and HUF 300 000 respectively, while the winners of the two special awards will get HUF 200 000 each. In addition to the cash prize, the winners will also each receive a valuable gift from the European Commission’s Representation in Hungary.