Interreg Romania–Hungary 2028–2034: questionnaire until 30 November, workshops in November

The Interreg VI-A Romania–Hungary programme has entered the preparation phase for the 2028–2034 period. On 5 October 2026 the authorities of the two countries opened an online questionnaire, available until 30 November 2026, and are holding ten consultation workshops between 3 and 20 November 2026 in Oradea, Satu Mare, Timișoara, Debrecen, Szeged and online. Registration for the workshops closes on 28 October 2026. The current programme has no open call for proposals at the moment, so this consultation is the only way for town halls, county councils, NGOs and institutions in the border counties to influence what future funds will be spent on.

In brief

• Programme: Interreg VI-A Romania–Hungary (ROHU), preparation of the 2028–2034 "Interreg chapter"
• Authority: Managing Authority – Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration; National Authority of Hungary – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Joint Secretariat hosted by BRECO Oradea
• Territory: Arad, Bihor, Satu Mare and Timiș in Romania; Békés, Csongrád-Csanád, Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg in Hungary
• Total budget 2021–2027: €175,940,025, of which €140,752,020 ERDF
• Budget 2028–2034: not yet set; on 16 July 2025 the European Commission proposed around €10 billion for Interreg as a whole at European level
• Consultation period: questionnaire 5 October – 30 November 2026; workshops 3–20 November 2026, registration until 28 October 2026
• Status: consultation; no open call for proposals in the 2021–2027 programme

What is happening now in the Romania–Hungary programme?

On 1 September 2026, the Programming Committee for the post-2027 period met for the first time in Oradea. Representatives of Romania and Hungary approved the committee's rules of procedure, as well as the concept note and the methodological framework for preparing the future cooperation framework. The next step is the territorial analysis: what common problems the eight border counties face and where cross-border projects can make a difference.

For this analysis, the programme has opened two consultation channels:

• The online questionnaire, available in Romanian and Hungarian, takes about 15 minutes and can be completed until 30 November 2026. It is aimed at people who have moved residence across the border, cross-border workers, Interreg project beneficiaries and residents of the border area.
• The workshops are of two kinds: "functional" workshops, by border area, and sectoral workshops on health, environment, economy and tourism, and transport.

When and where do the workshops take place?

The schedule published by the programme is as follows (times are those officially indicated, in local time zones):

• 3 November, Oradea, 10:00–13:00 EET – functional workshop
• 4 November, online – health 9:00–12:00 CET; environment 13:30–16:30 CET
• 5 November, Satu Mare, 10:00–13:00 EET – functional workshop
• 17 November, Debrecen – functional workshop 10:00–13:00 CET; economy and tourism for the northern area 14:30–17:30 CET
• 18 November, Timișoara, 10:00–13:00 EET – functional workshop
• 19 November, Szeged – functional workshop 10:00–13:00 CET; economy and tourism for the southern area 14:30–17:30 CET
• 20 November, online, 9:00–12:00 CET – transport

Registration is done through the form on the programme's website, until 28 October 2026. The form lists the following participant categories: local authorities, national authorities, educational institutions, European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), associations of public institutions, NGOs, religious institutions and chambers of commerce.

What has the programme funded so far, and for whom?

In 2021–2027, the programme has had three priorities: a greener region (renewable energy, climate change adaptation, biodiversity), a more social region (health, culture and tourism) and more effective cooperation (institutional capacity, public administration, "people-to-people" actions).

There have been two calls, both closed:

• The first open call, with a budget of €53,521,942 (€42,817,554 ERDF): "soft" projects were submitted by 27 September 2023, and those involving construction works by 26 January 2024. Under Priority 2, 17 projects worth €25.4 million ERDF were selected, of which 9 in health and 8 in culture and tourism.
• The call dedicated to operations of strategic importance, with €70,376,010 ERDF, open only to applicants named in Annex 3 of the programme, closed on 2 December 2024. 11 operations were approved, with €70.3 million ERDF.

Eligible applicants were public entities (national, regional or local authorities), bodies governed by public law or equivalent, NGOs and EGTCs, always in a cross-border partnership. Companies could not apply directly, but took part as suppliers, dialogue partners and indirect beneficiaries of investments in health, tourism or infrastructure.

What is known about the funding for 2028–2034?

At European level, on 16 July 2025 the Commission proposed the 2028–2034 financial framework, in which Interreg continues with an allocation of around €10 billion, described by Commissioner Raffaele Fitto as "a small increase compared with the present". The proposal provides for an "Interreg plan" for cooperation between Member States and their regions. The final decision requires unanimity in the Council and the consent of the European Parliament, and has not yet been taken.

The specific amount for the Romania–Hungary border, and the priorities and eligibility rules for 2028–2034, have not been set. They will result from the European negotiations and from the work of the Programming Committee, to which the current consultation contributes.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation for town halls, county councils, hospitals, universities and NGOs in Bihor, Satu Mare, Arad and Timiș is to treat this consultation as the first stage of the future project, not as a formality. Interreg programmes fund what appears in the territorial analysis; a need left unstated now will be hard to fund in 2029.

• Prepare a short list of real cross-border needs (for example a connecting road, a shared medical service, a tourist route with a Hungarian partner) and present it at the functional workshop in your area.
• Identify your partner across the border now. All ROHU projects have been cross-border partnerships, and institutional relationships take months to build, not weeks.
• Complete the questionnaire and encourage employees who commute across the border, or former project beneficiaries, to complete it too: the programme is looking for exactly these perspectives.
• Do not wait for a call in 2026 or 2027 under the current programme; the funds have been contracted. Instead, follow the publication of the territorial analysis and the proposed priorities.

For companies, the most realistic role remains that of supplier and partner to public institutions. If you want to see which other programmes suit you in this period, use the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can I submit an Interreg Romania–Hungary project now?

No. The 2021–2027 programme has had two calls, both closed (the first open call in 2023–2024 and the call dedicated to strategic operations, closed on 2 December 2024). The programme's website confirms that there are no open calls. Future calls will come from the 2028–2034 programme, after the European framework and the programme document are adopted.

Who can take part in the consultation and the workshops?

The questionnaire is open to anyone with a connection to the border area: cross-border workers, people who have moved across the border, Interreg project beneficiaries and residents of the eight counties. The workshops are aimed at institutions: local and national authorities, educational institutions, EGTCs, associations of public institutions, NGOs, religious institutions and chambers of commerce. Registration for the workshops closes on 28 October 2026.

Which Romanian counties are in the programme?

The programme area comprises four Romanian counties – Arad, Bihor, Satu Mare and Timiș – and four Hungarian counties – Békés, Csongrád-Csanád, Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg. The area for 2028–2034 will be set in the future programme document.

How much will the Romania–Hungary programme have in 2028–2034?

It has not been announced. The current programme has €175,940,025, of which €140,752,020 ERDF. For 2028–2034, the Commission has proposed around €10 billion for Interreg as a whole, but the split by border and the final adoption of the European budget are still to come.

Can a private company be a direct beneficiary in Interreg Romania–Hungary?

Not in the 2021–2027 calls: the eligible applicants were public bodies, bodies governed by public law, NGOs and EGTCs. The rules for 2028–2034 have not yet been set; the current consultation is the moment when the business community, through associations or chambers of commerce, can ask for instruments adapted to companies.

Official sources

• Interreg VI-A Romania–Hungary – official page (announcements on the questionnaire, workshops and the Programming Committee)
• Registration form for the workshops of 3–20 November 2026
• First open call for proposals – call page (closed)
• Call dedicated to operations of strategic importance (closed)
• The programme's Managing Authority
• Programme sheet for Interreg VI-A Romania–Hungary in the keep.eu database (area, budget, priorities)
• Interreg.eu – the Commission's proposal for Interreg in the 2028–2034 budget

Information checked on 19 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.