Country Profile: Hungary

On April 4, 2017 the Hungarian Parliament voted in favor of a plan to regulate foreign-based universities, prompting widespread protests and criticism from both academic experts and the general public. The National Higher Education Law, widely interpreted as targeting the operations of the Central European University (CEU), introduced new requirements for foreign universities operating in Hungary under an extremely tight deadline, putting at risk the continued functioning of the institutions. In response, the European Commission took legal action against Hungary by launching infringement proceedings. According to the Commission’s assessment, Hungary's law was not compatible with fundamental EU freedoms, including the freedom to provide services, the freedom of establishment, and academic freedom in general. In October, the National Assembly voted to extend the deadlines by which the new requirements had to be met by one calendar year. By the end of the year, however, the government had failed to strike an agreement with the State of New York that would allow for the continued operations of the CEU.

(Last updated: August 30 , 2021)

Please send appeals to the following:
Viktor Orbán
Prime Minister
1357 Budapest, Pf. 6.
Hungary
E-mail: miniszterelnok@me.gov.hu

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Zoltán Kovács
Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Relations
Tel: +36 1 896 1905
Fax: +36 1 795 0410
Email: intcomm@mk.gov.hu

Péter Szijjártó
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
1027 Budapest, Bem rakpart 47.
Hungary
Phone: +36 1 458 1000
Fax: +36 1 212 5918