Embassy News

Combating International Corruption

The UK Government is working to equip UK exporters and overseas investors with practical advice and tools to manage the risks of overseas corruption in an increasingly complex global marketplace. For more on this, please go to http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/trade-policy-unit/anti-corruption.

Corporate Training in Vienna

Following on from the highly successful mini-exhibitions/networking events of the past two years, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will be organising the third Corporate Training networking event in Vienna in June 2010. If you are an HR professional interested in meeting any of the exhibitors, and would be happy to travel to Vienna, please contact Hajnalka Polonyi at +36 1 429 6253 or via email.

Trade mission from Northern Ireland

On the week commencing 10 May 2010, a multi-sector mission from Northern Ireland will arrive to Budapest to explore business co-operation opportunities. For more information, please contact Loránd Farkas via email.

Royal visit

The President of the Republic of Hungary, Mr. László Sólyom has invited The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to undertake an official visit to Hungary from 17 March to 20 March 2010. Their Royal Highnesses will also be paying official visits to Poland and the Czech Republic. To read more about the Royal visit to Hungary, please click here.

Visit at the Police College

On 24 February 2010, HM Ambassador Greg Dorey, accompanied by Mr. Gary Dunnagan Counter Terrorism and Extremism Liaison Officer, visited the Hungarian Police College upon the invitation of Major-General István Sárkány. Please click here for more information.

DIP! (Diplomatic discussion)

On 11 February 2010, HM Ambassador Greg Dorey was the guest of the DIP! (Diplomatic discussion) event organised by the Common Sense Society, a group of university students and young professionals who meet regularly to discuss issues of philosophy, politics, culture and history. If you wish to read more, please click here.

2nd Hungarian Climate Summit

HM Ambassador Greg Dorey spoke at the 2nd Hungarian Climate Summit (Magyar Klímacsúcs) highlighting the UK's experience in the implementation of the first ever Climate Act in the world and the UK's Low Carbon Transition Plan. More information on the event is available here.

Five o'clock tea for Haiti

On Wednesday 10 February 2010, the British Embassy in Budapest hosted a joint fundraiser event for Haiti with the Hungarian Interchurch Aid, an internationally recognised charity organisation. If you wish to read more about the event, please click here.

Changes in passport application

The British Government is making changes to the passport application process in 2010. More information is available on the Embassy website.

Buffin Leadership Seminar

Buffin Leadership International, a UK based consultancy and coaching company held a Workshop at the British Embassy in Budapest on 19 January 2010.  Buffin shared experience of strategies, ideas and innovative ways to improve organisational performance and manage unprecedented changes. More information on the seminar is available on the Embassy website.

London Summit

The world is keeping its eyes on London again. After the successful London Summit last April, leaders of the world are now meeting to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan. More information is available on the Embassy website.

Best Workplace for Women Award

The Association of Women’s Career Development in Hungary has issued a call for participation in the survey of  "The Best Workplace for Women 2009" Award. The deadline for submitting the applications is 12 February 12 2010, and more information on the initiative is available here.

Taste of Britain

UKTI Budapest recruited eight Hungarian food companies to attend the 'Taste of Britain' exhibition in Vienna, where they met manufacturers of several British food products, discussed opportunities in the market and also tasted products on the spot. More information on the exhibition is available on the Embassy website.

The Great British Christmas Market

The Great British Christmas Market took place at Budapest's Great Market Hall between 10 and 12 December 2009. Information and pictures of the event are available here.

Sherlock Holmes game by VisitBritain

You can now win a tour to the UK with Visit Britain’s Sherlock Holmes game. To register, please go to the VisitBritain website.

The Great British Christmas Market

Visit the Great Market Hall at the Pest end of Liberty Bridge to explore the Great British Christmas Market. On 10-12 December 2009, the Great Market Hall will be offering an opportunity to explore Britain and discover a range of goods and services available to Hungarians and expats alike.  There will also be a great programme of entertainment and workshops. The Market Hall is located at Fővám tér (trams 2,47,49), with the nearest metro station of Kálvin tér on the blue (M3) metro line. For more information, please contact Patrick McMenamin or Zsuzsa Bozó at the Caledonia Restaurant (1066 Budapest, Mozsár u. 9.) on +36 1 311-7611 or via email.

Music Against Racism

Zene a Rasszizmus Ellen - ZARE (Music Against Racism) is a Hungarian movement following the footsteps of British Rock Against Racism (RAR) and Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR). They are inviting you to celebrate Christmas 2009 and Hanukkah 5770 together on 15 December 2009 on the A38 ship (Petőfi bridge – Buda side). For more information, please visit www.zare.hu.

Leadership Seminar

An Interactive and Challenging Seminar by the Buffin Leadership International Team with Leading Edge Practices and Innovative Techniques on How to Engage Your People to achieve a more profitable Company will be held on 19 January 2010 at the British Embassy Budapest. For more information, please contact Robert Bencze at Buffin on +36 20 231-3914 or via email.

Taste of Britain, Vienna 20-21 January 2010

The UKTI Section of the British Embassy in Vienna in co-operation with UKTI Sections in neighbouring markets, including Hungary, are organising a "Taste of Britain" Central European Food Exhibition in the following categories: Speciality Foods, Convenience Foods, Ready Foods, Ethnic Foods, Snack Foods, Organic Foods and Confectionary.

If you are a Hungarian company interested in distributing UK products in the above categories, and would be interested in visiting the exhibition, please contact Barbara Eötvös via email or phone on +36 1 429-6268 for more information.

Richard Parry's visit to Budapest

Richard Parry, Head of Education Sector Group at UK Trade & Investment’s London’s office will come to Budapest between 26-27 October and will visit the Personal Hungary Professional Learning exhibition in SYMA Hall.

Mr. Parry and his team are responsible for the all UKTI’s work in the field of Education and Skills. They recruit businesses from all around the world to visit and hold discussions with UK companies at different education related exhibitions, in topics such as Special Education Needs, Corporate Training, tools, equipment and methodology.

If you are interested in next year’s programme with a view to becoming a UK company’s partner, please contact Hajnalka Polonyi via email or phone on +36 1 429-6253.

 
World of Learning Conference and Exhibition

The World of Learning Conference and Exhibition was held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 30 September and 1 October 2009 where UK Trade & Investment was also represented. This annual exhibition focuses on corporate training solutions and the target audience is largely HR and Learning and Development professionals. There were more than 80 exhibitiors with e-learning, assesment, coaching, learning techniques an so on.

UKTI is happy to provide you the list of exhibitors with a brief description of each company. Please contact Hajnalka Polonyi via email or phone on +36 1 429-6253.

TechnologyWorld09
23-24 November 2009, Ricoh Arena, Coventry, UK

TechnologyWorld is one of the largest technology 'speed meeting' events in the UK, attracting key technology-focussed players from all across the world.  Besides One to One business interactions the event will also contain an element of industry information and foresight provided through the provision of world-class seminars and/or panel sessions by partner organisations.

The event provides a highly effective platform for companies to identify and build new international business and partnership opportunities. This year's sub-themes will be Communications, Electronics, Enterprise Software, Systems & Services, Mobile Health and Low Carbon ICT.

For further information and details on the assistance UKTI is offering to visiting companies, please visit www.technologyworld09.com, or contact Laszlo Toth at the British Embassy in Budapest via email or phone on +36 1 429 6243.

And there's more...

Burma VJ screening at CEU

Shropshire donates fire engine to Koka

HMA Greg Dorey`s speech at SINOSZ conference

Build Green with Great Britain

A seminar about British expertise on how to tackle climate change issues entitled “Build Green with Great Britain” will be held on 17 November 2009 at the British Embassy. The seminar will present green solutions used in the UK and will provide the audience with the opportunity to discuss business potential with the UK speakers. More information is available from Nóra Singer.

Are you making the most of opportunities in Central Europe?

The question was not a theoretical one in Leeds on 22 June 2009 for the UK companies attending the “Explore opportunities in Central Europe” food and drink meeting. This “one-stop-shop” event, where businesses had a chance to speak to experts from various Central European markets, including Hungary, proved popular with companies interested in exporting to this part of the world. From organic or fair trade products through to pet-food and edible cake decorations, a varied range of companies participated. For a full list of companies and more information, please contact Barbara Eötvös.

LCCI Aid-funded Business delegation

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) brought a group of UK companies on a flying visit to Hungary on 24 June 2009.  The visiting companies were all interested in becoming suppliers to various aid agencies, and their programme in Budapest included an informative meeting with officials and procurement specialists at the United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). For the list of the visiting UK companies and more information, please contact Krisztina Görög or Barbara Eötvös.

Vienna Corporate Training Fair

Between 23 and 24 June 2009, the British Ambassador’s Residence in Vienna hosted over 35 UK companies providing education and corporate training service, all keen to explore market opportunities in Europe.  UKTI teams from all across Europe attended the event bringing delegates, HR Officers and corporate training buyers from their respective markets to meet with the UK providers. More information and the list of exhibiting UK companies are available from Hajnalka Polonyi or Barbara Eötvös.

Language Parade (Nyelvparádé)

This year UKTI had a presence for the second time at Hungary`s premier language trade fair, held between 9 and 13 September 2009. Because the event has proven to be so successful, the organisers have now decided to extend the show to 5 days, and move it to Hungexpo, Budapest`s largest trade fair ground. As part of the "Week of Education" programme, Language Parade has also addressed themes around studying and working abroad, business langue learning and development for children. For more information and the list of exhibiting UK companies, please contact Hajnalka Polonyi or Barbara Eötvös.

UKSziget

The British Embassy Budapest was represented at the Sziget Festival - the biggest cultural festival in Central Europe between 12-17 August 2009.

You could find them at the Civil Sziget where they set up an Embassy tent named UKSziget providing consular advice and showcasing the British Embassy's priority areas such as climate change, human rights, development policy and activities of the British Council with interesting games, quizzes and films, etc.

More information is available here.

Music Against Racism

On Day Zero of the 2009 Sziget Festival (11th August) artists appearing on the Main Stage dedicated their performances to the cause of anti-racism.

More than 30 Hungarian and international bands showed their condemnation of racism and their support for tolerance by playing under the banner of "Music Against Racism" ("Zene a Rasszizmus Ellen" – ZARE). Jazz musicians on the nearby Jazz stage also lended their support to the anti-racist pro-tolerance cause – by also playing under the ZARE banner.

The anti-racist day was the result of collaboration between the British Embassy, UK anti-racism campaigns Rock Against Racism (RAR) and Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) and the highly prestigious Sziget Festival.

If you wish to find out more, please click here.

2012 Olympics

Launch of www.climatesuccess.org

Climatesuccess.org is a website sponsored by the FCO, showcasing case studies of companies and local governments from around the world that have reduced emissions of climate changing gases while achieving economic success.
The site should act as a resource for others that are active in developing low carbon solutions by providing examples and inspiration.

Carbon trading seminar

Barclays are a major UK financial institution who are looking to expand their carbon trading business in Hungary. They have been market leaders in the emissions markets since the inception of the scheme in European Trading Scheme in 2005, however their carbon trading activities in Hungary have so far been limited.

The British Embassy and Barclays are hosting a seminar in September to provide market background and suggestions on future trading opportunities, mainly for large industrial companies in Hungary with exposures under the European emissions scheme. If you feel that your company would benefit from such a seminar, please contact László Tóth at the British Embassy for further information and registering for the event.

Seminar Series on the Global Economic Crisis

The British Embassy Budapest and the Central European University (CEU) jointly organised a series of four seminars entitled “The Global Economic Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities for Europe”. The seminars have focused on the major challenges and opportunities arising from the global resource crunch, incl. the issues of low-carbon high-growth economy, energy prices, climate security, food and water security, international development cooperation, and international institutional reform. The aim has been to raise the profile of these issues locally and regionally and produce useful ideas that could translate into policy planning. The media partner of the events has been the well-known journal Figyelő. Based on the success of the previous seminars, the British Embassy intend to organise more seminars in the autumn this year in association with the BCCH and CEU.

50th jubilee of the Mini

Click here to read HMA Greg Dorey's summary of the celebrations in Budapest.