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HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
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2nd December, 2025
Hungary is a net contributor to the EU
Hungary has effectively become a net contributor to the EU for the first time since joining in 2004, due to the continued freeze of EU funds linked to rule-of-law concerns, Népszava reports.
According to data from the Economy Ministry, the Hungarian budget had received just under Ft 589 billion in EU transfers by the end of October, while paying Ft 609 billion into the EU’s common budget.
Although no further major payments are expected in 2025 and additional EU support could still arrive, 2025 is likely to remain the year with the lowest level of EU funding to date, according to the newspaper.
Hungary is still among the poorest EU member states based on economic indicators, so it normally relies heavily on EU cohesion payments for development.
The current “net contributor” status is therefore not a sign of economic strength, but a consequence of the European Commission withholding funds, an estimated Ft 2 trillion annually, due to unresolved rule-of-law deficiencies.
These include concerns over judicial independence, weak prosecutorial oversight, limited competition in public procurement, corruption risks, and Hungary’s non-compliance with EU migration rules.
Of the 27 EU member states, only Hungary is currently denied access to its full EU allocation.
While Hungary received Ft 1.4-2.2 trillion annually in 2021-23, the Commission froze significant amounts of funds in late 2022, sharply reducing transfers and pushing Hungary into a net payer position for the time being.
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Sources regularly consulted, with abbreviations used in text: Népszabadság (N); Magyar Hírlap (MH); Világgazdaság (VG); Napi Gazdaság (NG); Magyar Nemzet (MN); Népszava (Nsz); Kossuth Rádió news (KR); nightly TV news (TV).
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