EU and Magyar Agree on Roadmap to Unlock €17 Billion in Frozen Funds

Following weekend talks in Budapest led by Björn Seibert — chief of staff to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen — Péter Magyar announced agreement on a joint roadmap to release Hungary's frozen EU funds. Of the €27 billion earmarked for Hungary, €17 billion remains blocked due to rule-of-law and corruption deficiencies. The talks took place under severe time pressure: €10.4 billion from the Recovery and Resilience Facility expires on August 31, 2026. Magyar pledged to fight corruption, join the European Public Prosecutor's Office, and restore judicial independence and press freedom. Magyar stated: 'There is full agreement on one point: real work must begin to ensure that the EU funds due to the Hungarian people finally arrive in Hungary.'