Convergence and the Dynamics of EU Integration in Hungary: Economic Policy and Regional Challenges.
Under this title, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Section IX of Economics and Law, in cooperation with the Economic Policy and Economic Theory Section of the Hungarian Economic Association, is organizing a professional conference as part of the MTA200 event series. The conference will take place on Monday, 23 February 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m., in the Reading Room of the MTA Headquarters (1051 Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 9.).
The central concept of the event is differentiated convergence, which highlights the fact that in the two decades following the eastern enlargement of the European Union, the development trajectories of the countries in the region have diverged significantly from one another. The depth of integration, institutional preparedness, and structural economic characteristics have had a decisive influence on the pace of convergence. The main questions of the conference include how Hungary’s development path fits into European economic structures, and how international value chains, development policy decisions, and institutional responses to global crises affect convergence processes. The aim of the academic dialogue is to identify the factors limiting convergence, changes in integration positions, and future policy directions. Among the speakers at the conference will be, among others, Péter Halmai, Gábor Gulácsi, Zsolt Darvas, Dóra Győrffy, Gábor Oblath, and Zoltán Gál…
The event will be streamed live on the MTA YouTube channel.
The invitation and the detailed program of the event can be downloaded by clicking here (pdf).
Participation in the conference is free of charge; however, due to the seating capacity of the venue, prior registration is required. Registration is available via this link.