EU Council Unlocks €4.2B for Hungary, Ends Rule-of-Law Conditionality

The European Council closed its conditionality procedure against Hungary, releasing €4.2 billion in EU funds and restoring Hungarian participation in Erasmus+. This marks a reversal of the EU's previous stance, which had linked funding to rule-of-law reforms. The move signals a potential easing of tensions between Budapest and Brussels, though the underlying rule-of-law concerns remain unresolved.