Editors’ Pick: Magyar scores big in Brussels

Brussels’ main antagonist may be off the scene since the defeat of Viktor Orban last month, but major reforms and political détente stand between calm relations with Hungary. Is Péter Magyar the man to restore the balance?

Early indicators given reason for optimismbut also a lot of room for doubt. Despite the relief at Orbán’s departure, his successor has been reticent to follow through on Hungary’s long-standing resistance to Brussels — most notably over Ukraine’s admission to the bloc.

Then there was the difficult maneuvering as a meeting between Magyar and Ursula von der Leyen was apparently delayed, with the Commission evading until the last minute when it would take place. While a welcome is expected for an important new head of state, this one was decidedly cold.

Either way, Magyar arrived in Brussels more like a contender than a lost leader coming in from the cold. Securing frozen EU funds was at the heart of his election campaign, and the brash new prime minister realized that this would be extremely achievable. For its part, the Commission had been careful in promising disbursements, with an official showing EuractivThe reporter of that it is unlikely (Budapest) will receive the 10 billion euros they aim for.

So the news on Friday afternoon that over 16.4 billion euros will be unlocked it appears to be a big win for Magyar, who said he did not expect such a sum. “We were tough negotiating partners – the president can attest to that – we fought for every last cent,” he said after the meeting.

Crucially, the funds will not be disbursed until reforms are made – a lesson learned from Poland, where promised reforms stalled after frozen billions were released. “The moment the rule of law reform passes parliament, the moment the money associated with that milestone can be distributed,” von der Leyen said.

And despite the small coldness on the eve of the summit, the mood afterwards was distinctly upbeat. “It is a lot, but the Hungarian people deserve it,” von der Leyen said.

How long the good vibes last is another question. On June 16, Brussels will propose the opening The first negotiating group of Kyiv for EU membership. It remains to be seen whether Budapest will continue to block this and Magyar insisted that his position on Ukraine is separate from Hungary’s frozen funds.

The week from Euractiv policy desks

Tech – Pope backs AI rules

An unlikely actor has weighed in on the debate about the dangers of artificial intelligence: papaya. In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, took aim at Silicon Valley and appeared to endorse the EU’s AI Act. He warned of AI’s dangers to education, workers and families, and criticized Silicon Valley’s tech moguls for using AI as an instrument of power. “Disarming AI means freeing it from the mentality of ‘armed’ competition, which today is not just limited to the military context, but is also an economic and cognitive phenomenon,” he wrote. – Cristina Maza

Energy, environment and transport – Preparing for a burnout

The weather has been on everyone’s mind this week, but spare a thought for European firefighters who have to watch the heat record plummet with something frighteningly close. Every year, the European Commission announces various changes and additions to its RescEU service, putting the accumulated resources in the form of amphibious aircraft, helicopters and personnel on standby. Alice Bergoënd and Florent Servia have been talking to people on the front lines to get an idea of ​​the state of preparedness across the EU as this year’s inevitable bushfire season gets under way. – Robert Hodgson

Agri – National subsidies will not solve the fertilizer crisis, EU farm ministers warn

The Commission’s fertilizer plan, which proposes redirecting Common Agricultural Policy funds to farmers who use fertilizers efficiently and encourages governments to use state aid, was was met with criticism by the farm ministers who met in Brussels last Monday. They warned that national subsidies are not a silver bullet to protect farmers from the combined short-term impact of energy and fertilizer price shocks, Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro reports. – Angelo Di Mambro

PROTECTION – In the pine forests of Latvia, NATO’s drone future takes shape

Like a bird of prey stalking its prey, the interceptor drone swoops in and neutralizes its flying target. Seconds later, a loud explosion explodes in the air before the strong northerly wind blows the smoke away. That’s what companies and military officials notice when they visit the Selija training groundopened earlier this year in Latvia after roughly two years of land clearing and construction, and has now returned to NATO’s innovation range for unmanned systems and anti-UAS technologies. We bring you inside. – Alice Tidey

health – Harvesting US research talent

Europe is looking attract the best scientific talent from the USincluding researchers seeking a new foundation amid concerns about censorship and cuts in federal funding — though the bloc may need to do more to remain competitive. While Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €500 million “Choose Europe for Science” initiative last year, the EU’s main research program Horizon, under the current budget cycle, amounts to only about two years of funding for the US National Institutes of Health. – Emma Pirnay