The main objective of the Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Operational Programme (EPIOP) is to support the development of a healthy environment and an environmentally friendly transport infrastructure by promoting sustainable development. During the 2004-2006 period, a rate of 112 billion HUF funding was available within the framework of EPIOP, part of which was committed through open tendering, whilst the other part (e.g. the entire transport priority) is implemented in the form of so-called central programmes.

EPIOP defines development tasks within the framework of three priorities. These cover development areas as set targets. Priorities can be broken down according to measures, which constitutes the basis for announcing calls for applications, as well as the implementing the programme.

The three priorities and measures of EPIOP are the following:

I. Environmental protection
- Water quality improvement
- Animal waste treatment
- Healthcare, construction demolition treatment
- Environmental remediation
- Nature conservation and sustainable flood protection
- Measuring air and noise pollution
- Environmentally friendly development of energy management

II. Transport
- Improving the technical standard of the highway network
- Developing an environmentally friendly transport infrastructure

III. Technical Assistance

From amongst EU funding, EPIOP is exclusively funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The rate of funding granted in the case of all projects is equivalent to 75% of eligible public expenditure. The budget or local governments (in the case of projects where local governments are the beneficiaries) contribute the remaining 25%.

Due to its characteristics, EPIOP primarily supports the state sector; consequently, only 38% of beneficiaries operate in the private sector, whilst public finance non-profit organisations receive a 62% share of the funding.

63.9 billion HUF has so far been committed within the framework of EPIOP, which represents 57.1% of the available three-year framework.