Hungary - June 2023
EU Court rules Hungary’s migration regulation breached EU law
The European Court of Justice has ruled that Hungary broke EU law when it introduced a new law during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 making procedures more difficult for asylum seekers. The judgment found that the law deprived “third-country nationals or stateless persons concerned of the effective enjoyment of their right to seek asylum from Hungary”. The rules forced asylum seekers, including those already in Hungary, to submit a pre-asylum application at Hungarian embassies in Serbia or Ukraine before applying for international protection in Hungary. Authorities said that certain asylum seekers, such as Ukrainians, were exempt from the rules. The case was brought forth by the European Commission, which will now have to decide between demanding that Hungary repeal the regulation and levying fines.
