Budapest's promise to reintegrate Hungarian students into the EU's Erasmus+ exchange programme by September is slipping away, despite earlier political assurances from Prime Minister Péter Magyar and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The delay stems from Hungary's failure to submit required rule-of-law reforms to Brussels on time, leaving the suspension of 21 universities in place.
In May, von der Leyen announced a political deal with Magyar to unblock €16.4 billion in frozen EU funds, stating that Hungarian students could rejoin the Erasmus community as early as the next academic year. However, the Commission's Directorate-General for Budget still holds the file, and without immediate administrative action from Budapest, the ban cannot be lifted before September.
Conditionality Mechanism Holds the Key
The Erasmus+ suspension, imposed in 2022 after Brussels cited rule-of-law and transparency concerns over universities run by government-linked public interest trusts, can only be lifted if Hungary meets the criteria of the Conditionality Mechanism. This EU tool allows for the suspension of payments over rule-of-law issues. According to a Commission official speaking on condition of anonymity, "We don't see how Hungary will be back in Erasmus+ anytime soon if Budapest doesn't submit measures related to the Conditionality Mechanism early this summer."
Diplomatic sources indicate that Hungary has already fulfilled the relevant "super milestones" but plans to submit them only at the end of August, as part of a broader package of 27 such milestones. This timeline makes it nearly impossible for the Commission to overturn the ban before the academic year begins. The Hungarian Ministry of Education and Children confirmed that universities have submitted Erasmus+ mobility applications for 2026, but grant funds remain conditional on the Council's lifting of restrictions.
Magyar's government, after coming to power, decided to renationalise the public interest trusts, addressing EU demands for greater transparency in governing boards and decision-making. Yet the procedural delay threatens to undermine the political goodwill established in April, when Magyar struck a confident tone during his first Brussels visit post-election. "We will find a solution, hopefully, so that from September onwards there will be Hungarian students who can take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Erasmus scholarship," he said, acknowledging that full participation would be impossible due to missed application deadlines.
Bridging the Gap with Pannónia
In the interim, Hungary has launched its own Pannónia Scholarship Programme, financed from the national budget, to support international student, faculty, and staff mobility. The Ministry for Education and Children stated that administrative preparations can begin before EU approval, but signing grant agreements and disbursing funds must wait until the Council lifts the restriction.
Dr Loretta Huszák, a lecturer at Corvinus University in Budapest, told Euronews that EU financing for student exchanges under Erasmus+ for the 2026-27 academic year is now practically impossible. "The universities will have to organise the return to Erasmus in the autumn, and the conditions and funding for the next round of international mobility calls will come from the Erasmus fund. This could affect the 2027-28 academic year at the earliest," she said.
The situation underscores broader tensions between Budapest and Brussels over rule-of-law compliance. Hungary's recent decision to join the European Prosecutor's Office, opening the door to investigations into Orbán-era corruption, signals a shift in approach, but the Erasmus+ delay highlights the gap between political promises and administrative reality. As Europe's single market faces inertia risks, the ability of member states to adhere to EU mechanisms remains a critical test for the bloc's cohesion.
