Hungary Threatens Legal Action Against EU Over Border Protection Costs

Hungary is preparing to take legal action against the European Commission, seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred in safeguarding the European Union's external border. This development comes as the country claims to have spent approximately 2 billion euros on border protection without receiving substantial financial support from the EU.

Gergely Gulyas, the Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, announced this intention during a press conference on September 12, 2024. He stated, "We are prepared to initiate legal proceedings against the European Commission following its partial or full reimbursement of costs to other member states for protecting the Schengen border."

The Schengen Area, a zone of 27 European countries with abolished internal border controls, includes Hungary, which joined on December 21, 2007. As part of its responsibilities, Hungary maintains a 442-kilometer border with non-EU countries Serbia and Ukraine, contributing to the EU's approximately 50,000-kilometer-long external border.

Gulyas emphasized the financial burden Hungary has shouldered, stating, "Over the past years, Hungary has invested 2 billion euros in protecting the Schengen border without receiving any meaningful contribution from the EU." This situation has led to frustration, especially considering that other EU member states have reportedly received reimbursement for similar efforts.

The European Union has mechanisms in place to support border management, including the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). However, Hungary's claim suggests these resources have not adequately addressed its financial needs for border protection.

Hungary's border policies, particularly during the 2015 European migrant crisis, have been a source of tension with the EU. The country has taken stringent measures, including constructing a border fence along its southern border with Serbia and Croatia.

This legal threat highlights ongoing debates within the EU regarding the fair distribution of responsibilities and financial burdens related to external border protection. The principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility is enshrined in EU treaties concerning asylum and migration policies, yet its implementation remains a contentious issue.

As this situation unfolds, it may lead to a significant legal case at the European Court of Justice, potentially setting precedents for how the EU manages and reimburses border protection costs among its member states.

"Hungary has spent 2 billion euros on protecting the Schengen border in the past years without getting any meaningful contribution whatsoever from the EU."

This dispute underscores the complex challenges facing the EU in balancing national interests with collective responsibilities in border management and migration control.