Breaking newsCouncil of the EU restores Hungary’s full access to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes

The Council of the EU has lifted the safeguard measures adopted in 2022 against Hungary and restored full access to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe.

Ministers in the General Affairs Council met on 13/10/2026 in Luxembourg and adopted the European Commission's proposal to reopen Hungary's access to Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe and reinstate €4.2 billion in suspended cohesion policy commitments.

In 2019, Viktor Orbán's government transferred most of the country's public universities to public-interest foundations called KEKVA. The reform replaced direct state management with foundation boards that oversee universities under long-term funding agreements with the state.

The EU issued a warning regarding potential "conflicts of interest" and the "lack of transparency regarding the management of funds by these foundations", as board members were appointed by the government. After no measures were taken to address these concerns, the EU imposed sanctions in 2022, including the suspension of Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe-funded projects with these institutions.

In June 2026, after an election that…