The impact of Hungary's accession to the EU on the value of agricultural land

Abstract

This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the factors that influenced the formation and dynamics of agricultural land values in Hungary between 2000 and 2023. Hungary’s accession to the European Union in 2004 is examined as a pivotal moment that not only opened new opportunities for integration into the common market but also significantly affected the development of the national land resource management system. This process was accompanied by increased investment attractiveness of agricultural land, a growing role for foreign capital, and an uptick in cross-border transactions — all of which directly impacted price dynamics.
Moreover, the study calculates the average annual growth rates of land values, providing a quantitative assessment of both the scale and duration of the observed changes. This approach makes it possible to isolate specific time periods and demonstrate the influence of key events that governed the circulation of agricultural land and affected the activity of both domestic and external investors.
Thus, this article contributes to the ongoing debate on strategic directions for reforming land relations within the context of international economic integration and establishes a foundation for further research.