Hungary piggybacks on Dutch EU migration opt-out request

Hungary will join the Netherlands in asking for an opt-out from the European Union’s migration policies, a government minister said Wednesday, in another sign of fracturing EU consensus around immigration.

The new Dutch government last week announced it was aiming to implement the “strictest asylum policy ever,” and submitted a request for an opt-out on some EU migration policies on Wednesday.

Writing on X, Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka said: “Drastic action is needed to stem illegal migration, the Hungarian government will join the Netherlands in asking for an opt-out from EU asylum and migration rules, if a Treaty amendment allows it.”

However, changes to EU treaties are a long and complicated process requiring unanimity of all member countries. The Commission said in its Wednesday press briefing that it does not expect to embark on such a change any time soon. European rules on asylum and migration are binding, and the Dutch migration minister said they would continue to implement them.

While another country responding to anti-immigrant sentiment, Germany, last week instituted checks at its borders, Hungary hasn’t announced plans to do so. It remains “a committed member of the Schengen area,” Bóka said.