The European Commission said on Wednesday it had proposed unlocking €4.2 billion in cohesion funds for Hungary, citing the steps Hungary’s new government has taken to strengthen the rule of law in the country.

The money is part of a total sum of €16.4 billion of frozen recovery and cohesion funds the EU said in May it would unblock as Hungary’s new government worked on implementing reforms.

The Commission said it would also reopen the Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes to Hungarian students and researchers.

“Hungary has taken important steps to strengthen the rule of law and protect the Union’s financial interests,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

The proposal now needs to be formally adopted by all member states in the EU Council.