Commission proposes to unlock €4.2 billion in Cohesion funding for Hungary and restore full access to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe

Today the European Commission has proposed to the Council to lift the protective measures adopted in 2022 concerning Hungary under the Conditionality Regulation, as it considers that Hungary has addressed the rule of law breaches affecting the EU budget.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission: “Hungary has taken important steps to strengthen the rule of law and protect the Union's financial interests. Today, we are proposing to unlock €4.2 billion and reopen the doors of Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe to Hungarian students and researchers. I am glad that they will once again fully benefit from the opportunities our Union creates. This shows that reforms deliver results.”

If adopted by the Council, the proposal would reinstate €4.2 billion in suspended cohesion policy commitments and restore access to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe for students and researchers from universities maintained by Hungarian Public Interest Trusts.

The Commission has assessed the remedies notified by Hungary on 9 September 2026 and their implementation and concluded that Hungary has addressed the previously identified weaknesses and shortcomings in areas such as public procurement, the anti-corruption framework, risks of conflicts of interest, and the effectiveness of prosecutorial action.

In particular, Hungary has reinforced the powers of the Integrity Authority and its access to necessary data; established a comprehensive asset declaration system; increased transparency and addressed conflict-of-interest risks related to Public Interest Trusts, pending their termination; extended judicial review of decisions by investigative and prosecution authorities; and significantly strengthened controls over EU funding, as well as transparency in public procurement and public spending more broadly.