Expiring emergency migration laws could be key to unlocking Hungary's EU fines

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Published: 2026-09-03T14:38:10.032Z • Permanent link

Hungary's government is quietly exploring a potential solution to the European Union's €1 million-a-day fine imposed on the country over its migration policies. The fine, which was first introduced in 2017, is a result of the EU's Migration and Asylum Policy, which Hungary has repeatedly challenged. The EU's Migration and Asylum Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, has been working closely with her Hungarian counterpart, Interior Minister János Lévy, to find a way to end the fine without compromising Hungary's hardline stance on migration.

According to sources close to the negotiations, Brussels and Budapest are considering letting two temporary migration laws lapse – without softening the country's border policy – as a potential path forward. These laws, which were introduced in 2020 and 2022, respectively, allowed for the deportation of asylum seekers who had been in Hungary for more than a year. If these laws are allowed to expire, it could potentially create a loophole that would allow Hungary to avoid the fine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been instrumental in pushing for the removal of the fine. Orbán has long been critical of the EU's migration policies, which he believes are too soft on asylum seekers. He has also been a vocal supporter of the government's hardline stance on migration, which has included building a fence along the border with Serbia and introducing strict deportation procedures.

The EU's migration policy has been a contentious issue for years, with many member states, including Hungary, pushing for stricter controls on asylum seekers. The policy has been shaped by a combination of factors, including the 2015 migrant crisis, the rise of populist movements across Europe, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In recent years, the EU has introduced several measures aimed at reducing migration flows, including the creation of a new asylum processing center in Greece and the introduction of stricter deportation procedures. However, these measures have been widely criticized by human rights groups and other organizations, who argue that they are too harsh and could lead to further human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, Hungary has continued to push for its own migration policy, which includes building a fence along the border with Serbia and introducing strict deportation procedures. The government has also been critical of the EU's migration policy, arguing that it is too soft on asylum seekers and allows too many migrants to enter the country.