EU sets 27 conditions for Hungary as talks begin after election shift

The European Commission has begun “immediate engagement” with Péter Magyar following his election victory, focusing heavily on a set of 27 conditions that Hungary must meet to unlock €35 billion in frozen EU funds.

The conditions include a wide range of governance and rule-of-law requirements, particularly aimed at addressing long-standing disputes between Brussels and Budapest. They reportedly cover anti-corruption safeguards, judicial independence measures, and broader institutional reforms designed to align Hungary with EU legal standards, Financial Times reports. 

EU officials also want a rollback of policies introduced under the previous government that Brussels has repeatedly challenged. These include measures affecting asylum procedures, as well as steps seen as undermining academic freedom and other democratic standards.

Meeting the full list of 27 conditions is essential for Hungary to access the suspended funding, which has remained frozen amid concerns over rule-of-law compliance.

Officials in Brussels have signaled that progress on these benchmarks will be closely monitored as talks with Magyar’s team begin, with the outcome seen as crucial for resetting Hungary’s relationship with the European Union.

By Sabina Mammadli