EU Council action over Hungary’s rule of law breaches sees 21 universities cut off from Erasmus and Horizon funds

10 Jan 2023 |

The move is intended to protect EU money but opposition politicians worry about its impact on Hungarian students

The main building of the University of Corvinus in Budapest, which will be impacted by the loss of Erasmus and Horizon Europe funding. Photo: Gábor Tikos / Flickr

More than 30 higher education and cultural institutions in Hungary, including 21 universities, have been cut off from Horizon Europe and Erasmus funding over ongoing concerns about rule of law breaches in the country.

The suspension, under the EU’s conditionality regulation, was confirmed to Science|Business by the European Commission on Monday.

It affects institutions operated as ‘public trust foundations’ or maintained by such foundations. Since 2021, the Hungarian government has brought 34 institutions under the control of these funds, whose governing bodies contain members closely linked to the country’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, and…

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