MNI BRIEF: Hungary Letter Offers Hope Of NGEU Funds Approval

The Hungarian government has submitted proposals to the EU Commission to resolve its dispute with the EU over protection of the EU budget issues, a move which holds out hope of a resolution to the spat and also EU approval of the country’s NextGenerationEU national recovery plan.

A Commission spokesperson said that that the EU executive agency now had a month to thoroughly analyse the Hungarian proposal and decide next steps. (See MNI: NGEU Dilemmas Loom Over Hungary, Italy – EU Sources)

While this particular procedure is technically separate from that of approval for Hungary’s NGEU national recovery plan, another Commission spokesperson noted, “it doesn’t mean the issues are not similar, close or sometimes the same.”

Hungary has to win approval for its NGEU plan by the end of this year, otherwise lose the €5.8 billion in grants it is entitled to under the programme.