Microsoft Hungary CEO István Papp (left) and state secretary for foreign affairs and external economic relations Péter Szijjártó.

The government has continued the signing of strategic agreements with multinational companies present in Hungary, adding the local affiliate of General Electric and Microsoft Hungary to the list this week.
National Economy Minister György Matolcsy met Iván Hutter, the general manager of GE Lighting Europe, on Monday to sign the pact, which is most likely about the state supporting developments of the company. Very little or nothing is revealed about what the agreements – previously signed with the likes of Coca-Cola, Daimler, Suzuki and Hankook – actually include, but after the meeting Matolcsy said the cabinet considers it important that local SMEs become part of the “global innovation net”. According to him, it is extremely important that in its expansion GE works together with as many suppliers as possible. “We will provide all necessary financial resources via Eximbank. We are right behind them,” Matolcsy said.
Two days later state secretary for foreign affairs and external economic relations Péter Szijjártó met Microsoft Hungary CEO István Papp to sign the strategic agreement. “A strong info-communications and technology sector is a key component of Hungary’s competitiveness, and the government is giving special attention to supporting innovation and R&D, as well as to cooperating with large corporations,” Szíjjártó said. He stressed that the cabinet would cooperate with Microsoft in launching a national digital public education website and a digital home project, and related talks are at an advanced stage.
The government is planning to sign such agreements with 40 companies altogether. According to the latest National Gazette, the next will be Tesco, IBM, rail carriage manufacturer Stadler and National Instruments.

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