United States: Appeals Court Holds Czechoslovakian Nationals Can Bring Suit under Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act
On August 8, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit largely affirmed lower court decisions that Czechoslovakian survivors of the Hungarian Holocaust during World War II could bring a lawsuit under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) against the Hungarian government for illegal confiscation of property during World War II. … Continue reading “United States: Appeals Court Holds Czechoslovakian…
Contributor:
Myers, Louis
Date:2023-08-23
Article
Hungary: New Rules Oblige Doctors to Present Fetal Vital Signs to Women Before Terminating Their Pregnancies
On September 12, 2022, Hungary’s minister of interior, Sándor Pintér, issued Decree No. 29/2022, amending Decree No. 32/1992, the implementing regulation for Act No. 79 of 1992 on the Protection of Fetal Life. (Decree No. 29/2022, § 1.)The new decree entered into force on September 15, 2022. (§ 2.)Contents of the New DecreeThe new decree … Continue reading “Hungary: New Rules Oblige Doctors to…
Contributor:
Fremer, Iana
Date:2022-11-14
Article
European Union: Commission Proposes Suspending Payments to Hungary Due to Rule of Law Violations
On September 18, 2022, the European Commission proposed measures under the Conditionality Regulation to punish Hungary financially due to Hungary’s ongoing violations of the rule of law. In particular, the Commission proposed suspending 65% of payments to Hungary for three operational programs under the European Union’s (EU’s) cohesion policy and prohibiting the EU from entering … Continue reading “European Union: Commission Proposes Suspending Payments…
Hungary: National Assembly Adopts Act Giving Government Special Powers during Coronavirus Pandemic
(May 26, 2020) On March 29, 2020, Hungary’s National Assembly adopted a special legal regime aimed at “mitigating the consequences of a natural disaster or industrial accident endangering life and property” and preserving the governability of the country in case the National Assembly is not able to meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new […]
Contributor:
Fremer, Iana
Date:2020-05-26
Article
Hungary: Broad Tax Reforms Adopted
(Nov. 28, 2016) The Hungarian Parliament adopted a number of tax reforms on November 22, 2016. The tax package is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises by giving them more incentives, cutting bureaucracy, and combatting the black market. (Parliament Adopts Tax Package Designed to Cut Red Tape and Provide SME Incentives, […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2016-11-28
Article
Hungary: Parliament Rejects Legislation Blocking Refugee Settlement
(Nov. 16, 2016) The National Assembly of Hungary voted on November 8, 2016, to reject a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at blocking the settlement of new refugees in the country. The amendment reportedly read, “[f]oreign populations cannot be settled in Hungary,” and “[i]ndividual foreigners (not including EU nationals) can only live in Hungary with the […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2016-11-16
Article
Hungary/Sweden: Sweden Stops Deportation and Relocation of Asylum Seekers to Hungary
(Mar. 4, 2016) On March 2, 2016, the Swedish Migration Court of the Stockholm Administrative Court revoked the decision by the Swedish Migration Authority to send asylum seekers who had sought asylum both in Sweden and in Hungary back to Hungary in conformity with the Dublin Regulation. (Press Release, Migration Court of Stockholm Administrative Court, […]
Hungary: New Law Permits Army’s Use of Non-Lethal Weapons Against Illegal Migrants
(Nov. 6, 2015) On September 21, 2015, the National Assembly of Hungary approved legislation that allows the country’s military to use non-lethal weapons against refugees when they enter Hungary illegally (Jacqueline Jones, Hungary Lawmakers Approve Use of Non-Lethal Weapons on Refugees, PAPER CHASE (Sept. 23, 2015).) Soldiers may use rubber bullets, tear gas, pyrotechnical devices, […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2015-11-06
Article
Hungary: Constitutional Amendments Planned
(Sept. 10, 2013) On August 28, 2013, Hungary’s State Secretary of Justice, Robert Repassy, announced that the government would adjust the recent, highly controversial amendments to the country’s Constitution (Fundamental Law) adopted by the Parliament in March 2013. The modifications that will become the fifth amendment of the Fundamental Law were initiated, Repassy indicated, chiefly […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2013-09-10
Article
Hungary: Constitutional Amendments Adopted
(Mar. 19, 2013) On March 11, 2013, Hungary’s Parliament approved a number of controversial amendments to the country’s constitution, the Fundamental Law of Hungary (Magyarország Alaptörvénye). The changes were adopted in a vote along party lines, with the ruling conservative coalition, which controls the legislature, holding sway. (Margit Feher & Gordon Fairclough, Hungary Lawmakers Rebuff […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2013-03-19
Article
Hungary: Telecom Tax Bill
(June 7, 2012) A proposed Telecommunication Tax Bill was published in Hungary's official gazette on May 30, 2012. (Tamas Kulcsar, Hungary: Telecommunication Tax Bill Published, TAX NEWS SERVICE (May 31, 2012), International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation online subscription database.) It had been submitted to the legislature on May 11. (Tamas Kulcsar, Hungary: Telecommunication Tax Bill […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2012-06-07
Article
Hungary: Groundwork for Campaign Finance Law
(Apr. 11, 2012) On April 4, 2012, the six parties represented in Hungary's National Assembly (Országgyulés) agreed on the main principles of political party and campaign financing in the country and signed an agreement to that effect. Under the agreement, the signatories have pledged to adopt legislation in the fall session “to ensure transparency and […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2012-04-11
Article
Hungary: Disputed Data Protection Law Amended
(Apr. 6, 2012) On April 2, 2012, the Members of the Hungarian Parliament, by a large majority, amended the country's Information Freedom Act “to strengthen the independence of the president of the new data protection authority in line with recommendations of the European Commission.” (Parlt Strengthens Independence of Data Protection Authority Chief, MTI DAILY BULLETIN […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2012-04-06
Article
European Union; Hungary: Criticism of Laws on the Judiciary, Data Protection, and the National Bank
(Jan. 23, 2012) On January 17, 2012, President Jose Manuel Barroso of the European Commission (EC) announced the initiation of legal action against Hungary by means of three Letters of Formal Notice, regarding three issues in new Hungarian legislation effective at the beginning of this year under the country's 2011 Constitution (Fundamental Law of Hungary […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2012-01-23
Article
Hungary: New Constitution Signed into Law
(Apr. 29, 2011) On April 25, 2011, the President of Hungary, Pál Schmitt, signed into law the country's new Constitution, the Fundamental Law of Hungary. Hungary is the last jurisdiction in Eastern Europe to effect the change to a post-communist constitution. Passage of the law was secured by the two-thirds majority held in the National […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2011-04-29
Article
Hungary: Hamburger Tax Under Consideration
(Mar. 17, 2011) Matolcsy added that the specifics of which products would be taxed and how the revenue so raised would be used have not yet been determined. (Id.) It was reported in February, however, that the tax might apply to sodas, coffee, and sweets, as well as fast-food meals (Veronika Gulyas, Hungary to Tax […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2011-03-17
Article
European Union; Hungary: European Parliament Resolution on Hungary’s Media Law
(Mar. 16, 2011) Although the threat of the European Union taking legal action against Member State Hungary for its controversial new Media Law has subsided, the European Parliament passed a resolution on March 10, 2011, that criticizes the Law as well as certain aspects of the European Commission's role in helping Hungarian authorities ensure the […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2011-03-16
Article
Hungary: Controversial New Media Law Defended by Government
(Jan. 7, 2011) Hungary's Parliament passed a new media law on December 20, 2010, that has been harshly criticized by members of the country's media, other European governments, and the intergovernmental Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The law entered into force on January 1, 2011, the same day on which Hungary assumed […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2011-01-07
Article
Hungary: Initiation of Criminal Investigation of Chemical Spill Disaster
(Oct. 12, 2010) On October 6, 2010, police in Hungary launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the massive Ajka chemical spill, in which toxic red sludge from an alumina plant's storage reservoir spread through tributaries and ultimately reached the Danube River. The spill, which occurred on October 4, has resulted in four deaths […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2010-10-12
Article
Hungary: Penal Code Amendment on Holocaust Denial Adopted
(Mar. 15, 2010) The Hungarian National Assembly (the 386-member unicameral parliament) passed an amendment to the Penal Code on February 22, 2010, criminalizing denial of the Holocaust. Those convicted of the offense of public Holocaust denial face up to three years of imprisonment. There were reportedly 197 votes in favor of the amendment, one opposed, […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2010-03-15
Article
Hungary: Same-Sex Partnership Law Struck Down
(Dec. 31, 2008) On December 15, 2008, the Constitutional Court of Hungary ruled that a 2007 law, which would have recognized civil partnerships between same-sex couples and unmarried couples and given them related rights, “diminishes the importance of marriage,” and struck it down. (Jaclyn Belczyk, Hungary Court Strikes Down Same-Sex Partnership Law, PAPER CHASE NEWSBURST, […]
