The European Commission on Friday said it had begun infringement proceedings against Hungary for the "incorrect application of EU asylum legislation". The Commission said it sent a letter of formal notice to Hungary warning Budapest it considered new asylum procedures in response to the coronavirus pandemic to violate EU law. The new procedures mean that before non-EU nationals can apply for international protection in Hungary, they "must first make a declaration of intent stating their wish to apply for asylum at a Hungarian Embassy outside the European Union and be issued with a special entry permit," it said in a statement. "The Commission considers that this rule is an unlawful restriction to access to the asylum procedure," it said, because "it precludes persons who are on Hungary's territory, including at the border, from applying for international protection there." Hungary has two months to respond to the objections raised by the Commission. The Commission's action is the latest clash between EU authorities and Budapest over topics including the perceived weakening of the rule of law and Orban's tough line against immigration. Since Europe's migration crisis in 2015, Orban's government has erected heavily guarded fences along its borders with Serbia and Croatia, and refused to accept EU mandatory relocation quotas of refugees from elsewhere in the bloc. Budapest also built so-called border "transit zone" camps for asylum-seekers that were described as "unlawful detention" by Europe's top court earlier this year. Hungary closed the camps soon after the court decision but said last month that the EU's borders must "remain sealed" after the 27-nation bloc unveiled its latest asylum reform plan. aro/mm/har