Hungary’s EU funding for the 2014-2020 projects under completion

Fully 95 percent of Hungary’s EU funding for the 2014-2020 budget period has been tapped so far, financing 52,000 projects, Tibor Navracsics, the regional development minister, told parliament’s economic affairs committee at a hearing on Monday.

Hungary is a top performer in terms of successfully utilising funds, he said.

In the last funding period, Hungary had 11.5 billion euros in resources, and, taking domestic co-financing into account, the EU framework amounted to 27 billion, he said.

In addition, Hungary has been able to tap an additional 2.1 billion euros in aid up to 2025.

Financial period 2021-2027

The 2021-2027 EU funding period is also under way, he noted, and talks on cohesion funds and the support and loan parts of recovery funds started last year.

Last December, the European Commission endorsed the Hungarian operational programmes and the Council approved the use of the support part of the national reconstruction plan, he added.

Hungary and EC concluded the partnership agreement, ensuring cooperation for the financial period 2021-2027, paving the way for the utilisation and withdrawal of cohesion funds, the minister said.

On Dec 8, the EU economy and finance ministers approved Hungary’s plan, freeing up the loan part of the recovery fund, Navracsics said.

In May, parliament adopted the legislative amendment in connection with EC concerns over the rule of law, and the EC asked the government to further clarify various issues in two rounds. The minister said he trusted the EC would acknowledge the answers and it would be possible to move forward and access the funds.

As the EC has adopted Hungary’s operative programmes and projects to be financed from the recovery fund during the period, the country “has managed to avoid losing funds and implementation of the operative programmes has started,” he said.