Hungary officially joined the EU on 1 March 2004 and the Schengen Area in December 2007.

The Hungarian EU accession negotiations started on 31 March 1998. Hungary had successfully concluded negotiations on its accession at the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002. Hungary has 22 MEPs, 12 votes in the Council and has chaired the Council of the European Union from January to June 2011.

The Hungarian parliamentary elections on&nbsp;Sunday 12 April 2026 are already coined as Europe’s&nbsp;most important elections this year.

EU - Hungary

Rule of law is laid down in the EU treaties as one of the values on which the Union is based. It means that governments should be bound by law&nbsp;not to take arbitrary decisions, and that citizens should be able to challenge their actions in independent courts.

It also enshrines the fight against corruption, which unfairly favours some to the detriment of others, and the safeguarding of media freedom, thus ensuring that the public is properly informed about the work of government.

The EU has existing tools at its disposal to protect the rule of law. In&nbsp;September 2020, the European Commission published the first annual rule of law&nbsp;report monitoring both positive and negative developments with regard to the rule of law in all member states. In July 2021 the second edition of the report was published.

There is also&nbsp;dialogue on the rule of law in the Council.

If the Commission deems that a member state is violating EU law, it can start infringement proceedings that may lead to financial sanctions determined by the European Court of Justice. Another procedure, under Article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union, allows the Council to make recommendations or decide by unanimity on sanctions against a member state, including the suspension of membership rights.&nbsp;MEPs have argued that existing tools are insufficient.

​Under the new regulation, effective from January 2021, EU budget payments can be witheld from countries where established breaches of the rule of law compromise management of EU funds. At the same time, the EU ensures that final beneficiaries do not end up paying the bill.

Rule of law

In September 2018, the Article 7(1) TEU procedure was triggered. In this case, the European Parliament voted a resolution calling the Council to determine the existence of a clear risk of a serious breach of EU values in relation to Hungary. This resolution was preceded by numerous others adopted by the Parliament between March 2011 and May 2017, and it made reference to concerns related mainly to judicial independence, freedom of expression, corruption, rights of minorities, and the situation of migrants and refugees in Hungary.

Under Article 2 TEU, the EU is founded on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights (DRF). Article 7 TEU establishes two mechanisms (preventive and sanctions) to enforce EU values in cases of systemic violations and to sanction Member States departing from them.

See also the previous <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/rule-of-law-in-hungary-8th-parliamentary-term_5702_pk">package</a> on the rule of law in Hungary.

Rule of law in Hungary (2019-2020)

Under Article 2 TEU, the EU is founded on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights.

Article 7 TEU establishes two mechanisms (preventive and sanctioning mechanisms) to enforce European Union values in cases of systemic violations and to sanction Member States departing from them. The sanctions mechanism empowers the Council to suspend certain membership rights of a Member State, including voting rights in the Council in cases of a 'serious and persistent breach' of EU values (Article 7(2)TFEU)’. However, these mechanisms require a high decision-making threshold in the Council and in the European Parliament (when Parliament is called to participate) and rely heavily on Member States’ willingness to take action.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/rule-of-law-8th-parliamentary-term_10601_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Rule of law (2020)

At a joint exchange of views, the Parliament’s Budgets and Budgetary Control Committees examine the Commission’s plan to unlock up to EUR 16 billion in EU funds for Hungary. Executive Vice President Raffaele Fitto, Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Commissioner Piotr Serafin, and Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath represent the Commission.
Following Viktor Orbán’s election loss on 12 April, the BUDG and CONT Committees invited Vice-President Fitto, Commissioner Serafin, and Commissioner McGrath to discuss unfreezing EUR 16.4 billion in EU funds for Hungary. A political deal (29 May) tied the funds to key reforms. Hungary submitted a revised Recovery and Resilience Plan (10 June), targeting 27 supermilestones, anti-corruption measures, and EU financial interest protections. The Ecofin Council (10 July) is expected to approve it. MEPs will seek clarity on unlocking EUR 4.2 billion in cohesion funds and fundamental rights, particularly academic freedom.

BUDG/CONT joint meeting on Unfreezing EU funds to Hungary

EP President Roberta Metsola holds a bilateral meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, meets with Peter MAGYAR, Hungarian Prime Minister

EP Plenary discusses the recent allegations that the Hungarian government has been spying on the EU institutions.

On 9 October, several media outlets published allegations that the Hungarian secret services, posing as diplomats at the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, attempted to recruit EU officials as informants in Brussels. The Commission has said it will set up an internal group to investigate the allegations.

In a plenary debate on Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the allegations with Commission and Council representatives.

EP Plenary debate on allegations of Hungarian espionage

The Budapest Pride march 2025 takes place in Budapest (Hungary) on Saturday 28 June 2025 

The Budapest Pride March takes place with the participation of Nicolae ȘTEFĂNUȚĂ, EP Vice-President, and EP Members

Budapest Pride march 2025

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee travels to Budapest to look into developments in Hungary around EU values, judicial independence, media and academic freedom, transparency and anti-corruption measures, the situation of civil society, and the rights of LGBTIQ persons, since the committee’s last visit to the country in October 2021. MEPs meet with members of parliament (MPs) and representatives from the government, the judiciary, and local authorities, as well as from civil society across all areas of concern. Press conference on Wednesday at 14.30, local time.

LIBE delegation in Budapest

Parliament, Council, and Commission  discuss Hungary’s restrictions on the right of assembly and the announced ban on the Budapest Pride march.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament assesses the state of fundamental rights in Hungary after the pro-government majority changed the law on public assemblies in March 2025, enabling authorities to classify pro-LGBTIQ+ gatherings as violations of the Child Protection Act and consequently ban the Budapest Pride march. MEPs are set to argue that this limitation of the rights of assembly and expression is a direct violation of the basic human and civil rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the core values of the Union.

In 1997, Budapest became the first capital of a former Communist bloc country to host a Pride march, a landmark moment for equality and freedom. However, Hungary’s government has been taking regressive steps for many years, dismantling institutions, the rule of law, and freedom of expression, to the point where Parliament can no longer consider the country a full democracy. In January 2024, MEPs once more urged the Council to unblock the process to assess Hungary’s “serious and persistent breaches of EU values”.

EP Plenary debate on the threats to fundamental rights in Hungary

MEPs discuss with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the programme for Hungary’s six-month Council Presidency that started on 1 July 2024.The Hungarian government has announced the following priorities for its six month Presidency: A new European competitiveness deal; Boosting European defence policy; A consistent and merit-based enlargement policy; Stemming illegal migration; Shaping the future of cohesion policy; A farmer-oriented EU agricultural policy; Addressing demographic challenges.


During the 2019-2024 legislative period, Parliament repeatedly denounced the Hungarian government’s deliberate and systematic efforts to undermine EU values and the threat it poses for EU institutions and funds. MEPs have expressed serious concerns about the Orbán government’s ability to credibly fulfil its role leading the Council. According to Parliament, the situation has worsened since the activation of the Article 7(1) procedure - to the point that Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy.

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Hungarian Presidency

CONT - Exchange of views with Commissioners on the conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Péter MAGYAR, Prime Minister of Hungary

Press conference on after the Hungarian elections – What will happen to Hungary’s EU funds?

Press conference on the situation in Hungary

CONT BUDG - Exchange of views on the scrutiny of the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation and its interplay with other instruments with focus on Hungary’s frozen funds

EP Plenary session - Pending approval of the Hungarian national plan for Security Action for Europe (SAFE) funding

Press conference on the existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded

EP Plenary session - Existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded

CONT Chair, Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), BUDG Vice-Chair, HOHLMEIER, Monika (EPP, DE), Executive Vice President Raffaele FITTO, Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Commissioner Piotr SERAFIN, and Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGRATH, open the exchange of views during which the Parliament’s Budgets and Budgetary Control Committees examine the Commission’s plan to unlock up to EUR 16 billion in EU funds for Hungary. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Exchange of views on the conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary: opening statements by Andreas SCHWAB (EPP, DE), HOHLMEIER, Monika (EPP, DE), Raffaele FITTO, Michael MCGRATH and Piotr SERAFIN

At a joint exchange of views, the Parliament’s Budgets and Budgetary Control Committees examine the Commission’s plan to unlock up to EUR 16 billion in EU funds for Hungary. Executive Vice President Raffaele Fitto, Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Commissioner Piotr Serafin, and Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath represent the Commission.

Exchange of views on the conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary: Q&A - Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) and Committee on Budgets (BUDG)

This News item presents extracts from the joint exchange of views of the Budgets and Budgetary Control Committees with Executive Vice President Raffaele Fitto, Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Commissioner Piotr Serafin, and Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath, on the conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary.

Conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary: extracts from the meeting with Raffaele FITTO, Executive Vice-President of European Commission, Piotr SERAFIN, European Commissioner and Michael MCGRATH, European Commissioner

This video shows extracts from the meeting between Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, and Peter MAGYAR, Hungarian Prime Minister.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Peter MAGYAR, Hungarian Prime Minister: extracts from the meeting

Piotr SERAFIN, European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration closes the debate on the recent allegations that the Hungarian government has been spying on the EU institutions. On 9 October, several media outlets published allegations that the Hungarian secret services, posing as diplomats at the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, attempted to recruit EU officials as informants in Brussels. The Commission has said it will set up an internal group to investigate the allegations. In a plenary debate on Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the allegations with Commission and Council representatives.

Allegations of espionage by the Hungarian Government within the EU institutions: closing statement by Piotr SERAFIN, European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration

Piotr SERAFIN, European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administrationf opens the debate on the recent allegations that the Hungarian government has been spying on the EU institutions. On 9 October, several media outlets published allegations that the Hungarian secret services, posing as diplomats at the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, attempted to recruit EU officials as informants in Brussels. The Commission has said it will set up an internal group to investigate the allegations. In a plenary debate on Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the allegations with Commission and Council representatives.

Allegations of espionage by the Hungarian Government within the EU institutions: opening statement by Piotr SERAFIN, European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration

MEPs debate on the recent allegations that the Hungarian government has been spying on the EU institutions. On 9 October, several media outlets published allegations that the Hungarian secret services, posing as diplomats at the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, attempted to recruit EU officials as informants in Brussels. The Commission has said it will set up an internal group to investigate the allegations. In a plenary debate on Wednesday afternoon, MEPs will discuss the allegations with Commission and Council representatives.

Allegations of espionage by the Hungarian Government within the EU institutions: MEPs debate

Bas EICKHOUT, (Greens/EFA, NL) and Terry REINTKE, (Greens/EFA, DE), Co-Presidents and Gergely KARÁCSONY, Mayor of Budapest hold a press conference on Freedom of assembly and rule of law in Hungary: intimidation against the mayor of Budapest, organisers and civil society.

Press Conference by Bas EICKHOUT, (Greens/EFA, NL) and Terry REINTKE, (Greens/EFA, DE), co-presidents and Gergely KARÁCSONY, Mayor of Budapest on freedom of assembly and rule of law in Hungary: intimidation against the mayor of Budapest, and others

EU - Hungary (T)

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