Following Hungary's accession, the Office of the Permanent Representative of the Hungarian National Assembly was opened on 1 September 2004 in Brussels in order to enhance coordination and the exchange of information with the European Parliament and other EU institutions.
The Office of the Permanent Representative has a dual role. First, it provides the National Assembly with additional information on the work of EU institutions with a special focus on the European Parliament. This information complements that supplied by the Hungarian Government and especially concerns dossiers under scrutiny procedure. Second, the Office of the Permanent Representative also supplies information on the international activity of the National Assembly. It provides ongoing contact between the National Assembly and EU institutions, effectively complementing and strengthening bilateral relations at the level of policy and with regard to individual MPs. It also works in close and regular cooperation with other permanent offices of EU Member States' parliaments. The network of heads of permanent offices guarantees an effective and prompt exchange of information, which has gained special importance since the Treaty of Lisbon came into force. Competences granted to national parliaments can best be utilized only when parliaments voice their concerns in a coordinated and timely manner.
The Office of the Permanent Representative of the Hungarian National Assembly in Brussels is operated by the Directorate for Foreign Relations within the Office of the National Assembly.