The European Commission has intensified its rule of law standoff with Hungary by linking future EU funding to adherence to democratic values under its proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the seven-year budget proposal announced this week.
Under the new framework, member states must uphold the EU’s core values—including the principles enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Article 2 of the EU Treaty—to access funding and secure project approvals. The move introduces a form of “smart conditionality”, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday.
