The first tenders for European Union funding available for the 2014-2020 budget period are expected to be called by the middle of this year, deputy state secretary for development programmes Nandor Csepreghy said at a conference. Smaller tenders, with less risk attached, could be called in the spring, Mr Csepreghy said. State secretary for economic strategy Zoltan Csefalvay said Hungary’s development strategy for 2014-2020, as outlined in a „partnership contract”, was expected to be submitted to the European Commission at the end of January, after its approval by the government. Operative programme plans could be submitted by the end of February, he added. Member states have until April 22 to formally submit partnership contracts to Brussels and another three months after that to turn in operative programmes.