Hungary and Poland throw up barrier to EU budget agreement

Countries’ refusal to pass deal is ‘serious’ move, EU officials warn

Poland and Hungary’s EU ambassadors have refused to approve the 2021-27 EU budget framework package agreed by the European Parliament and national governments on 10 November, raising the spectre of a delay to its implementation that could affect R&D funding.

“What happened today is serious,” EU officials told Research Professional News shortly after the ambassadors’ meeting on 16 November, at which the Polish and Hungarian representatives declined to back parts of the package that require unanimous approval.