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1. Legal/policy framework for the functioning and development of youth organisations

2. Public financial support

3. Initiatives to increase the diversity of participants

Legal/policy framework for the functioning and development of youth organisations

According to the Fundamental Law of Hungary,

'everyone shall have the right to establish and join organisations […] Trade unions and other interest representation organisations may be formed and may operate freely based on the right to association.'

Besides that the new Civil Code (Polgári Törvénykönyv) and the Law on Civic Society Association (Civil törvény) define how NGOs can be founded and operated. In Hungary, these regulations are relevant for youth NGOs as well. Some youth organisations are public bodies [for example the Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Candidates (Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége)], but the majority of them are associations [for example the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács)].

The Deputy State Secretariat for Civil and Social Relationships operates under the Prime Minister's Office (Miniszterelnökség). Its aims among others are to support the effective operation of NGOs, to operate an information and administration portal [Civil Information Portal (Civil Információs Portál)], and it pursues that the state funds would be accessible for the NGOs in a favourable way.

The main principle is that youth should have interest groups for advocacy. It is important that throughout these organisations, the Government have negotiation partners who can represent these groups of society. There are interest groups according to different fields as well. For example:

• young entrepreneurs – National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (in Hungarian: FIVOSZ),
• young farmers – Hungarian Farmers' Association [Fiatal Gazdák Magyarországi Szövetsége (AGRYA)]
• Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Candidates [Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége (referred hereinafter to as DOSZ)].

Also, there is an organisation which represents all young people: the National Youth Council [Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács (hereinafter referred to as NIT)]. (For more information see sub-chapter 5.3 Youth representation bodies)

There is no particular information on the principles and goals of youth organisations.

Public financial support

The source of funding can be legal or state subsidies, tender applications or individual grants. The government provides an individual grant for policy support in the basis of application. Grants can be approved with applications through the state funds listed below.

National Cooperation Fund

Specific rules apply on state supports are specified in the Act CLXXV of 2011 (Civil törvény). The operation of NGOs and their specific programmes and activities (for example advocacy), their publications are supported by the state through the National Cooperation Fund [Nemzeti Együttműködési Alap (in short NEA)] which uses state budget for its tenders [Act CLXXV of 2011 (Civil törvény)]. The operational fund can only be obtained through NEA, while other grants are supporting professional activities.

From 1 January 2019 on the NEA is operated by Bethlen Gábor Fund Ltd (Bethlen Gábor Alapkezelő Zrt.).

Children and Youth Fund

The Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) supports children's and young people's activities, programmes, initiatives through the Children and Youth Fund [Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alap (hereinafter referred to as GYIA)], which has a state budget chapter (Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alapprogram). For example:

• the programmes of youth NGOs on participation,
• events simulating the functioning of the democratic institutions and the roles of decision-makers within these institutions, cooperation.

Currently GYIA belongs to the National Cultural Grant Management Office (Nemzeti Kulturális Támogatáskezelő) which is one of the background institutions of the government.

National Talent Programme

The aim of the National Talent Programme (Nemzeti Tehetség Program) is to support talent development, provide long-term support to talented youth, and promote outstanding talent managed by organisations, communities and programmes in Hungary and beyond. In the new government, formed in 2022, the Department of Talents, under the Deputy State Secretariat for Young People, in the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, is responsible for the implementation of this programme. (For more information, see sub-chapter 4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people.)

Bethlen Gabor Fund

The Bethlen Gabor Fund (Bethlen Gábor Alap) is an earmarked state fund. It aims to support Hungarians living beyond the borders of their motherland and to strengthen the connection between motherland and homeland. Financial grants can be won through a call for applications or through individual grant applications.

Applicants can be individuals (Hungarian youth outside their homeland), municipalities and other institutions, local governments.

Topics:

• education,
• preservation and development of Hungarian culture and science,
• actions related to European Union activities. (For more information on the Fund, see sub-chapter 10.3 Support to youth work.)
   

Development programmes

Different development programmes have provided a framework for financial support in recent years, most notably the Human Resource Development Operational Programme (hereinafter referred to as EFOP), recently for example the 'Wonder Deer School Community Programme', or the Erasmus+ Programme. (For more information, see sub-chapter 6.4 and sub-chapter 6.5.)

Part of the tenders for NGOs are related to certain regions or professional tasks such as GINOP (Economic Development and Innovation Operation Programme) and Szechenyi Plan Plus (2021-2027).

Financial support might originate from for example the Structural Funds or Cohesion Fund of the European Union, the budget of the European Union or from international organisations [Act CLXXV of 2011 (Civil törvény)].

Support for activities related to the European Year of Youth

The Deputy State Secretariat for Young People, the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács) and the EU Youth Dialogue National Working Group had an application in 2022 to support local, regional events organised in the framework of the European Year of Youth.

The event had to correspond one of the five main objectives of the European Year of Youth. There were two application rounds and 28 successful proposals were implemented and received a support of total HUF 9 million (around EUR 23 076). The events had to be completed by 31 December 2022. (For more information, see sub-chapter 5.8 Raising political awareness among young people.)

Local governments

In Hungary, it is the responsibility of local governments to support youth. [Act CLXXXIX of 2011 (2011. évi CLXXXIX. törvény Magyarország helyi önkormányzatairól)] This means, that on the local level, the local governments support youth organisations, although the form of this support is not defined.

The type of activities which are supported by means of public finance mentioned above:

• camps,
• mentor training,
• training,
• meetings,
• advocacy,
• research,
• information and communication activities,
• publications.

Initiatives to increase the diversity of participants

In Hungary, there are no programmes on this topic accessible to a wide range of young people and funded by the Hungarian state. This issue is not part of the main goals or rhetorical line of the Hungarian Government.

Governmental initiatives

There have been several government initiatives for example the 'Like-a-Parliament' ('Mint-a-Parlament') or Parliamentary Youth Day (Parlamenti Ifjúsági Nap), which aims to encourage youth participation. (For more information, please see sub-chapter 5.8 Raising political awareness among young people.)

There are also other pedagogical programmes which take place in the Parliament weekly or monthly during the school year and of which aim is to motivate students to participate in politics. These programmes are

• 'Parliamentary Tutorial' ('Parlamenti különóra'),
• 'The Democracy Game' ('Demokráciajáték').

NGOs

On the other hand, the NGOs organise the majority of the national level initiatives [for example the National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács) and the Foundation for Democratic Youth (Demokratikus Ifjúságért Alapítvány)].