Hungary

Hungary needs to transform its energy sector. But can the Energy Union kickstart such change? The vision presented by the European Commission's Vice President Maroš Šefčovič includes a few promising nuggets, but overall risks reinforcing the status quo.

With only a few weeks to go now until final crucial decisions are taken that will determine Hungary's EU spending plans for the next seven years, Bankwatch's Hungarian member group MTVSZ decided last week that it was about time the Hungarian government got its house in order when it comes to beneficial EU allocations for cutting domestic energy bills, stimulating the Hungarian economy and fighting climate change.

Despite collecting impressive evidence from 20 years of failed public-private partnerships in central and eastern Europe, an EBRD-financed study by the Economist Intelligence Unit concludes to continue using the controversial financing scheme.