New Challenges in Consular Work: The Case of Hungary, from the 1980s to 2023

The study presents the impact of Hungary’s relationship with the European Union on the structure and functioning of the Hungarian consular service. It shows that the modernisation of the Hungarian consular service – with the ratification of the 1963 Vienna Consular Convention in 1987 – had already started before the change of regime. As a result, after 1989, the consular service adapted more easily to the new challenges and tasks that followed Hungary’s independence and EU integration. The harmonisation of EU law already led to significant changes in consular tasks during the Antall government. Moreover, EU accession itself led to a significant transformation of national foreign policy objectives. As a result, a small consular network was initially set up, but after 2010 it was rebuilt in line with the new policy objectives determined on national level and then significantly expanded after 2014. However, the study also explores not only the changes in the organisational structure, but also the changing and then expanding consular tasks and the potential for improvement in EU cooperation.

Keywords: Hungary, European Union, consular service, EU delegations, EEAS