The programs co-financed by the European Union are characterized by a long transition period, not only in Hungary, but also across Europe. Because although there is no point at the end of the accounting for the 2014-2020 cycle, in most places 2021–2027 projects They haven’t really taken off either. The n+3 rule also applies to the previous seven-year programming period, so the checkered book will close on paper in December this year, but in some cases management will be carried over to next year.
In the 2014-2020 cycle, EU members could collectively develop €479.22 billion, of which €353 billion will be paid by the European Commission, and the rest from the national rebate.
Narrowing the scope down to Hungary: We are entitled to 32.11 billion euros, of which 27.15 billion come from Brussels’ portfolio, and the remaining 4.96 billion are contributions from member states, i.e. the burden of the Hungarian state budget. In terms of usage, we use a Euro exchange rate of 375 HUF, which is fixed, so the ceiling value exceeds 12,000 billion HUF.
Visible feature
In the General Committees database, we see that by the end of October, Hungary had used 94% of available funds, while the average among member states was 85%. The forum’s nine percentage points are respectable, but Finland and Portugal can say the same for themselves. Development policy can show more advanced partial results in Estonia (100%), Poland and Lithuania (98-98), Greece and the Czech Republic (95-95), so Hungary is currently tied for sixth place. The last time we looked at the table was at the end of the third quarter, a month ago, when we were in fifth place. Since then, both the Hungarian index and the EU average have risen by one percentage point each, meaning that the competitive advantage has remained.
More importantly, it appears that even if the Budapest-Brussels axis was riddled with disagreements, payments continued.
Although the news is primarily about which members of the Hungarian government, Tibor Navracsics, the minister responsible for regional development, and János Bukas, the minister responsible for EU affairs, will negotiate with whom in the EU institutional system, these negotiations will take place in Year 2021–They’re talking about 2027 resources and restoration funds. Recently, the Ministry of Navracsics was informed that the provision of resources for the period 2014-2020 is unimpeded. The winning applicants have until December of this year to complete the paperwork for their completed investments, but Hungary can settle with the European Commission until next year, and the final document for the seven-year cycle is certain to remain until 2025.
It doesn’t hurt to know when the party’s over
The institutional system must adhere to Member State deadlines specified in EU regulations. Tibor Navracsics employees highlighted: One of the most important of these matters is the end of the accountability period, which
- From the European Development Fund,
- From the European Social Fund,
- From the Cohesion Fund
- and 31 December 2023 for programs funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
As in previous cycles, the deadline of December 31, 2023 applies to invoices that beneficiaries wish to settle, i.e. invoices issued and paid to the supplier by December 31, 2023 can be submitted to the enterprise system. Hungary can hold the EU accountable for costs paid by beneficiaries until 31 December 2023. According to current EU legislation, Hungary will also have the opportunity to settle its accounts with the European Commission in 2024.
(Cover photo: Viktor Orbán on October 26, 2023. Photo: Pierre Marco Tacca/Getty Images)
