After Orbán era, EU unfreezes 4.2 billion euros for Hungary
EU countries ended the rule-of-law procedure against Budapest. Von der Leyen hailed "a new chapter" as universities regain access to Erasmus+.
Archive image · Photo: Révész Gábor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (cropped and resized)
EU member states on Tuesday ended the so-called conditionality mechanism against Hungary, releasing 4.2 billion euros in cohesion funds. Meeting in Luxembourg, they approved a proposal by the European Commission. The money had been frozen over rule-of-law breaches under Viktor Orbán's government; 6.3 billion euros were originally blocked, but part was lost at the end of 2024 and 2025. The funds will not arrive in one payment but will be reimbursed against invoices for completed projects.
The move rewards reforms by Péter Magyar's government, in office since May, including tighter oversight of EU funds, more transparent public procurement and joining the European Public Prosecutor's Office. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: "A new chapter starts today. For Hungary and for Europe." EU Commissioner Michael McGrath said Hungary was "firmly back on the European path."
Hungarian universities can again take part in the Erasmus+ exchange programme and the Horizon Europe research programme, with exchanges seen as realistic from the spring semester at the earliest. According to Keystone-SDA, a further 10 billion euros is to follow from the COVID-19 recovery fund, while academic freedom reforms could unlock another 2.2 billion euros.