Hungarian university students protest at Luxembourg court over EU Erasmus ban
Students from Debrecen University staged a protest in front of the Court of Justice of the European Union, in Luxembourg, on Wednesday, to support five Hungarian universities in a case against the European Council over the EU’s banning their students from the Erasmus exchange programme.
According to a statement from the university, the students are on a one week tour of Europe, including visits to EU institutions in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg.
Erasmus ban concerns 22 Hungarian universities
The statement quoted Zoltán Bács, dean-elect of the university, as telling a hearing of the court on Tuesday that Hungary’s academic community was “offended” and found the European Council’s decision to exclude students from the programme “incomprehensible”.
“Hungary’s universities and scientific community are an integral part of European cooperative efforts,” he said, adding that that community had been “excluded” and the freedom of science was “curbed”. “This cannot be viewed as a political question, this is a moral one that seriously impacts Debrecen University in terms of equal treatment,” Bács said.
Read also:
- 15+1 Hungarian university terms every international student should know
- Hungarian universities shine in global Shanghai Ranking – 12 in world’s top 5%!
Click for more higher education news.
It’s good for the young to see what the E.U. is all about: a bunch of corrupt, power-hungry, ossified, useless megalomaniacs.
Hungary doesn’t want to allow itself to get destroyed by lavishing our money on Ukraine while letting millions of third-world parasites, robbers, and rapists roam our streets, so Hungarians must be punished. For now, they’re just withholding our money, excluding our scholars from joint projects, threatening to remove our power of veto, and financing their puppets in Hungary’s opposition. If they could, though, you can be sure they’d put tanks on our streets.
Where is Magyar and “Tisza” in all this?
AI Generated from Grok: Key Reasons for the Exclusion
The European Commission and Council of the EU identified several issues with the foundation model that raised red flags regarding the protection of EU taxpayer money and adherence to EU principles. These include:
Lack of Transparency and Accountability: The foundation-run universities were deemed not to ensure transparent management of EU funds. Unlike traditional public institutions, these foundations often do not fully adhere to EU-mandated public procurement rules or conflict-of-interest safeguards, increasing the risk of misuse or diversion of funds. For instance, the EU argued that the model bypassed standard oversight mechanisms, potentially allowing arbitrary decision-making.
Conflicts of Interest Due to Political Influence: Governing boards of trustees for these universities frequently include members closely tied to Orbán’s Fidesz party, such as ministers, politicians, or appointees selected by the government. This structure was seen as undermining institutional autonomy and academic freedom, violating EU values under Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (which emphasizes pluralism, non-discrimination, and respect for human rights). Critics, including human rights organizations like the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, highlighted how this politicization could enable undue government control over higher education.
Broader Rule-of-Law Breaches in Hungary: The decision ties into ongoing EU actions against Hungary for systemic issues like corruption, weakened judicial independence, and media capture. In December 2022, the EU Council froze about 55% of Hungary’s €6.3 billion cohesion funds for similar reasons. The Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe exclusions (effective for new grants after December 15, 2022) were a targeted extension of this, affecting over 30 institutions in total. The EU views these as protective measures to safeguard funds, not punitive ones against students, though the impact falls heavily on them.
The exclusion primarily affects outgoing participation: Hungarian students from these universities cannot receive EU grants to study or train abroad. However, the institutions can still host incoming foreign students under Erasmus+, and existing commitments (e.g., pre-2022 projects) continue until their end. This asymmetry aims to minimize disruption while pressuring reforms.
Timeline and Context
2018–2021: Hungary reforms higher education, converting about 34 institutions (including major ones like the University of Debrecen, Corvinus University of Budapest, Semmelweis University, and University of Szeged) into public trust foundations. Boards are populated with government allies to “modernize” management, but this sparks EU scrutiny over autonomy.
December 2022: EU Council decision suspends access to new Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe funding for these foundations, following Commission recommendations. Hungary claims it has met prior commitments, calling the move “discriminatory.”
2023: Exclusion takes full effect for the academic year starting September 2023. Hungarian opposition figures (e.g., from the Momentum party) criticize it as punishing students for government failures, while pro-government voices label it “ideological discrimination.” The government launches domestic alternatives like the Pannónia Scholarship to fill the gap.
2024–2025: Negotiations continue. In October 2024, Hungary amends laws to bar ministers, MPs, and mayors from university boards and clarify conflict-of-interest rules, hoping to regain access. As of September 2025, the European Ombudsman is investigating complaints about the exclusion’s lawfulness, but no full reinstatement has occurred. The European Parliament rejected efforts to lift the ban without reforms in 2024, emphasizing the need to protect academic freedom.
Impacts and Criticisms
On Students: Thousands of students, especially from rural or less affluent backgrounds, lose opportunities for international experience, which Erasmus+ promotes for building skills and European identity. In 2020, over 22,000 Hungarians participated annually. Affected students must now rely on national programs, which may not match Erasmus+’s scale or prestige.
Diverse Viewpoints: EU officials and MEPs (e.g., from the European People’s Party) argue the ban is regrettable but necessary to enforce reforms and prevent corruption. Hungarian government sources and conservative outlets portray it as politically motivated overreach, harming education without proven misuse of funds. Independent analyses (e.g., from the European University Association) express regret over the “stir” it causes, urging dialogue to restore access.
The situation remains fluid, with potential for resolution if Hungary fully addresses EU concerns.
Students should demonstrate at Hungarian University administration buildings and demand more transparency. With transparency, the funds would come.
Scientists should understand that transparency is the key for “freedom of science”. You just need to be open and honest about how you use the EU money. That is not too much to ask.
As long as Hungarian universities refuse to be open and honest about EU funds use, no funds should be given to them by EU.