Lifting of suspension of payments from EEA and Norway Grants to Hungary

The Financial Mechanism Committee has on 9 December 2015 decided to lift the suspension of payments from EEA and Norway Grants to Hungary. A majority of the programmes have had payments suspended since 7 May 2014.

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• The suspension of payments to Hungary has been lifted. This implies that the donor states Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will resume the support to economic and social cohesion in Hungary

• The suspension is lifted after the Hungarian authorities and the donors have come to an agreement regarding the control functions and implementation of the Grants in Hungary

• The parties agree to respect the agreed legal framework for the implementation of the civil society programme in Hungary

• There is limited time available to implement the programmes and projects. The donors are in dialogue with the Hungarian authorities regarding what can be implemented before the deadlines.

Background
Hungary is among the major beneficiary states in the EEA and Norway Financial Mechanisms with a total of €153.3 million for the present period (2009-2014). The civil society programme has not been affected by the suspension.