Hungary revises EU recovery plan as Budapest debates taxi fare rise and advertising ban

The European Commission has forwarded a revised Hungarian Recovery and Resilience Plan to the EU Council. The plan, now estimated at €10 billion, includes €6.51 billion of non‑repayable grants and €3.49 billion of loans. A major portion is earmarked for green transport, with €2.8 billion for railway upgrades, zero‑emission buses, trams and related infrastructure, and further funds for energy system upgrades and digitalisation. The plan also proposes expanding the role of the Magyar Fejlesztési Bank to support SMEs, affordable housing and venture capital.

Meanwhile, Budapest’s City Assembly is set to consider more than forty proposals. Key items include an 18 percent increase in taxi fares, a comprehensive ban on large outdoor advertising, and the installation of a memorial to the late artist Péter Scherer on Margaret Island. Additional measures involve boosting street‑supervisor staffing at Kelenföld station, revising personal‑taxi service regulations, and earmarking a share of traffic‑camera fines for local road maintenance.

Both initiatives reflect a broader push by Hungarian authorities to restructure financing, enhance sustainable transport and reshape public space usage in the capital.