COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review 2019 Country Report - HUNGARY Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Environmental Implementation Review 2019: A Europe that protects its citizens and enhances their quality of life
Date: 2019-04-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Hungary, application of EU law, climate change policy, environmental law, environmental protection, governance, green economy, public health, quality of the environment

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.4.2019  SWD(2019) 121 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT The EU Environmental Implementation Review 2019     Country Report - HUNGARY           Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Environmental Implementation Review 2019:  A Europe that protects its citizens and enhances their quality of life   {COM(2019) 149 final} - {SWD(2019) 111 final} - {SWD(2019) 112 final} - {SWD(2019) 113 final} - {SWD(2019) 114 final} - {SWD(2019) 115 final} - {SWD(2019) 116 final} - {SWD(2019) 117 final} - {SWD(2019) 118 final} - {SWD(2019) 119 final} - {SWD(2019) 120 final} - {SWD(2019) 122 final} - {SWD(2019) 123 final} - {SWD(2019) 124 final} - {SWD(2019) 125 final} - {SWD(2019) 126 final} - {SWD(2019) 127 final} - {SWD(2019) 128 final} - {SWD(2019) 129 final} - {SWD(2019) 130 final} - {SWD(2019) 131 final} - {SWD(2019) 132 final} - {SWD(2019) 133 final} - {SWD(2019) 134 final} - {SWD(2019) 135 final} - {SWD(2019) 136 final} - {SWD(2019) 137 final} - {SWD(2019) 138 final} - {SWD(2019) 139 final}  
 
 
This  report  has  been  written  by  the  staff  of  the  Directorate-General  for  Environment,  European  Commission. 
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1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... 3 

PART I: THEMATIC AREAS .............................................................................................................................. 4 

1. 

TURNING  THE  EU  INTO  A  CIRCULAR,  RESOURCE-EFFICIENT,  GREEN  AND  COMPETITIVE  LOW-
CARBON ECONOMY .............................................................................................................................. 4 

Measures towards a circular economy ................................................................................................. 4 
Waste management .............................................................................................................................. 7 
Climate change ...................................................................................................................................... 9 

2. 

PROTECTING, CONSERVING AND ENHANCING NATURAL CAPITAL .................................................. 12 

Nature and biodiversity ....................................................................................................................... 12 
Maintaining and restoring ecosystems and their services .................................................................. 13 
Estimating natural capital ................................................................................................................... 14 
Invasive alien species .......................................................................................................................... 14 
Soil protection ..................................................................................................................................... 15 

3. 

ENSURING CITIZENS' HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE ........................................................................ 17 

Air quality ............................................................................................................................................ 17 
Industrial emissions ............................................................................................................................. 19 
 ................................................................................................................................................. 20 
Noise 
Water quality and management ......................................................................................................... 20 
Chemicals ............................................................................................................................................ 22 
Making cities more sustainable ........................................................................................................... 23 

PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS ................................................................... 26 

4. 

GREEN  TAXATION,  GREEN  PUBLIC  PROCUREMENT,  ENVIRONMENTAL  FUNDING  AND 
INVESTMENTS ...............................................................................................................................  26 

Green taxation and environmentally harmful subsidies ..................................................................... 26 
Green public procurement .................................................................................................................. 27 
Environmental funding and investments ............................................................................................ 28 

5. 

STRENGTHENING ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE ......................................................................... 32 

Information, public participation and access to justice ...................................................................... 32 
Compliance assurance ......................................................................................................................... 33 
Effectiveness of environmental administrations................................................................................. 34 
International agreements ................................................................................................................... 36 
Sustainable development and the implementation of the UN SDGs .................................................. 37 

2 

 
 
 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Executive summary 

Hungary and the Environmental Implementation Review 
(EIR) 

In  the  2017  EIR,  the  main  challenges  identified  for 
Hungary  for  the  implementation  of  EU  environmental 
policy and law were: 

 
 

 

to accelerate progress in meeting EU waste targets; 
to  comply  with  EU  air  quality  limit  values,  in 
particular for dust particles; and 
to  complete  the  Natura  2000  network  with  site-
specific  conservation  measures  and  ensure  that  the 
sites have adequate resources. 

Hungary organised a  bilateral EIR dialogue in April 2017 
its  national  authorities  and  Commission 
between 
representatives.  The  discussion 
focused  on  waste 
management and environmental governance issues. 

In 2017, the Commission launched the TAIEX-EIR Peer-to-
Peer  (EIR  P2P)  tool  to  facilitate  peer  learning  between 
experts  from  national  environmental  authorities.  So  far, 
Hungary  hosted  two  EIR  P2P  workshops  with  regard  to 
circular economy and air quality, and participated in two 
others on air quality. 

Progress since the 2017 report in meeting challenges 

in 

The  2019  EIR  shows  that  for  waste  management, 
Hungary  has  made  some  progress 
implementing 
measures  to  reach  the  2020  targets.  There  has  been  a 
slight increase in the municipal waste recycling rate and a 
slight  decrease  in  the  landfilling  rate.  In  2012-2015, 
Hungary  did  not  meet  the  packaging  waste  recycling 
targets,  although  it  adopted  measures  to  improve  the 
recycling  rate  of  glass  packaging  from  2018  onwards. 
Hungary has recently introduced some major reforms in 
the  waste  sector.  However,  the  results  of  the  structural 
changes  in overall  service  management and delivery are 
yet  to be examined after the data  on performance have 
been  submitted  to  Eurostat.  The  minimum  service 
standards  do  not  require  that  door-to-door  separate 
collection  be  rolled  out  and  the  recycling  targets  for 
service  operators  are  unlikely  to  act  as  an  incentive. 
According  to  the  Commission’s  2018  ‘early  warning 
report’, Hungary is considered at risk of not meeting the 
2020  municipal  waste  recycling  target  of  50 %.  Meeting 
the post-2020 targets will require even greater efforts. In 
particular,  Hungary  should  consider  using  effective 
economic instruments. 

Hungary  has  just  started  to  prepare  a  national  circular 
economy action plan. The key challenges are the lack of 
institutional  coordination  and  the  lack  of  dedicated 
funding.  Dialogues  and  consultation  mainly  involve  the 
waste management sector. 

The country has made some progress on  air quality and 
there has been a steady decrease in emissions. However, 
additional  efforts  are  needed  to  meet  the  targets  set  in 
the  new  National  Emissions  Ceiling  Directive  for  2020-
2029  and  for  any  year  from  2030.  Most  importantly,  in 
2017,  EU  air  quality  standards  were  exceeded  for 
nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and for particulate matter (PM10) 
in  several  air  quality  zones.  For  2015,  the  European 
Environment  Agency  estimated  that  more  than  12 800 
premature  deaths  in  Hungary  were  attributable  to  fine 
particulate  matter  concentrations,  more  than  530  to 
ozone  concentrations  and  more  than  1 300  to  nitrogen 
dioxide  concentrations.  A  clean  air  dialogue  was  held 
with the European Commission in Hungary in 2017. This 
concluded  that  Hungary’s  most  urgent  needs  are  to 
reduce  particle  emissions  from  burning  solid  fuel  in 
introduce  short-term 
private  households,  and 
measures to reduce car  emissions  from existing  vehicles 
in urban areas. 

to 

For  nature  conservation  the  number  of  management 
plans adopted for Natura 2000 sites was increased by 45 
plans  in  2017.  Altogether  325  Natura  2000  sites  have 
management plan in place, covering 61.9 % of all Natura 
2000  sites.  An  additional  96  plans  have  been  prepared 
and are waiting adoption, and further 20 plans are being 
prepared.  However,  these  plans  are  not  compulsory 
under national legislation, so there is no legal obligation 
to implement them.  

introducing  green 
The  country  faces  challenges 
infrastructure.  The  complexity  of  the 
issue  creates 
difficulties  also  in  the  coordination  between  the  various 
sectors and the ministries.  

in 

In  the  field  of  water  management  there  have  been 
changes  and 
the  good 
status/potential  objectives  set  in  the  Water  Framework 
Directive, but there remains a long way to go. 

to  achieve 

investment 

Examples of good practice 

  The  ‘Ablakon Bedobott Pénz’ (‘money thrown in the 
window’)  initiative  provides  information,  advice  and 
resource 
incentives 
efficiency. 

to  companies 

improve 

to 

  The Ladybird Farm leisure centre promotes a concept 
of  sustainability,  resource  efficiency  and  circular 
economy. 

  Hungary  has  a  dedicated  national  environmental 
information  system  that  covers  almost  all  the 
environmental  areas  evaluated.  The  web  portal  is 
easy to navigate and clearly structured. 

3 

 
 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Part I: Thematic areas 

1. 

Turning the EU into a circular, resource-efficient, green and 

competitive low-carbon economy 

Measures towards a circular economy 

The  Circular  Economy  Action  Plan  emphasises  the  need 
to  move  towards  a  life-cycle-driven  ‘circular’  economy, 
reusing  resources  as  much  as  possible  and  bringing 
residual  waste  close  to  zero.  This  can  be  facilitated  by 
developing  and  providing  access  to  innovative  financial 
instruments and funding for eco-innovation. 

Following  the  adoption  of  the  Circular  Economy  Action 
Plan in 2015 and the setting up of a related stakeholder 
platform  in  2017,  the  European  Commission  adopted  a 
new  package  of  deliverables  in  January  20181.  This 
included  additional  initiatives  such  as:  (i)  an  EU  strategy 
for plastics; (ii) a Communication on how to address the 
interplay  between  chemical,  product  and  waste 
legislation; (iii) a report on critical raw materials; and (iv) 
a  framework  to  monitor  progress  towards  a  circular 
economy2. 

Hungary’s  fourth  (2015-2020)  national  environmental 
programme is a strategic six-year plan for environmental 
and  nature  protection.  It  encompasses  several  different 
strategies3  and  could  therefore  be  a  good  starting  point 
for  the  transition  towards  a  circular  economy.  This 
programme identifies resource efficiency as a priority. 
Hungary set out its national smart specialisation strategy4 
in  2014  with  clean  and  renewable  energies  and 
sustainable environment as priority areas. 

In  the  2017  Special  Eurobarometer  468  on  attitudes  of 
EU citizens towards the environment, 84 % of Hungarian 
people  said  they  were  concerned  about  the  effects  of 
plastic  products  on  the  environment  (EU-28  average 
87 %).  89 % said they  were  worried about  the impact of 
chemicals  (EU-28  average  90 %)5.  Hungarian  society 
appears  to  support  circular  economy  initiatives  and 
environmental protection measures. 

1 European Commission, 2018 Circular Economy Package. 
2 COM(2018) 029. 
3 including the Strategy for the Countryside, the National Forest 
Programme and Strategy, the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan, 
the National Renewable Energy Action Plan, the National Climate 
Change Strategy, the National Transport Strategy and also the National 
Concept of Development and Spatial Planning. 
4 National Smart Specialisation Strategy. 
5 European Commission, 2017, Special 486 Eurobarometer, ‘Attitudes of 
European citizens towards the environment’. 

Examining  the  10  indicators  in  the  circular  economy 
monitoring  framework,  in  2016,  the  circular  (secondary) 
use  of  material  in  Hungary  was  6.4 %  —  an  increase  on 
previous years (EU-28 average 11.7 %)6. Hungary is above 
the EU average on the number of people employed in the 
circular  economy  (1.93 %  of  total  employment  in  2016 
compared to an EU average of 1.73 %). 

for 

is  below 

the  EU  average 

Hungary 
resource 
productivity  (how  efficiently  the  economy  uses  material 
resources to produce wealth)7, with 0.88 EUR/kg in 2017 
(EU  average  2.04  EUR/kg).  Figure  1  shows  a  slight 
decrease since 2012. 
Figure 1: Resource productivity 2010-20178 

As of September 2018, Hungary had only 33 products and 
15 licences registered in the EU Ecolabel scheme, out of a 
total  of  71  707  products  and  2  167  licences  in  the  EU, 
showing a low uptake of these licences9. 28 organisations 
from  50  sites  in  Hungary  were  registered  in  EMAS  (the 
European  Commission’s  Eco-Management  and  Audit 
Scheme10) as of May 2018. 

In  the  2017  EIR,  a  suggested  action  for  Hungary  was  to 
develop  an  overarching  circular  economy  policy 
framework.  However,  there  are  key  challenges  in  this 
process, 
institutional 
the 
coordination  and  the  lack  of  dedicated  funding.  Initial 
dialogues  and  consultation  mainly  involve  the  waste 
management  sector.  In  spring  2018,  the  Ministry  of 
Environmental 
Agriculture’s 

in  particular 

Department 

lack  of 

for 

6 Eurostat, Circular Economy Indicators. 
7 Resource productivity is defined as the ratio between gross domestic 
product (GDP) and domestic material consumption (DMC). 
8 Eurostat, Resource productivity. 
9 European Commission, Ecolabel Facts and Figures. 
10 European Commission, Eco-Management and Audit Scheme. 

4 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Development  and  Strategy  submitted  the  proposal  to 
prepare  a  circular  economy  action  plan  and  an  inter-
ministerial  expert  group  was  set  up  to  this  end.  The 
Hungarian  Ministry  of  Agriculture  hosted  a  TAIEX-EIR 
Peer 2 Peer workshop on 17-18 May 2018. Experts from 
Finland,  the  Netherlands  and  Slovenia,  which  are  more 
advanced  in  this  process,  shared  their  experiences  with 
government  experts  from  Hungary,  the  Czech  Republic, 
Slovakia  and  Poland.  Since  mid-2018,  the  circular 
economy  related  questions  no  longer  belong  to  the 
Ministry  of  Agriculture  (except  for  the  ones  specially 
related to agriculture), but to the Ministry for Innovation 
and Technology.  

Hungary  has  several  initiatives  to  provide  information, 
advice  and 
incentives  to  companies  on  resource 
efficiency. The ‘Ablakon Bedobott Pénz’ (‘money thrown 
in  the  window’)  initiative  was  launched  by  the  KÖVET 
Association 
in  2002  to  prove  that  environmental 
measures  and  the  economy  are  mutually  beneficial11. 
Thanks  to  this  initiative,  by  2017,  534  measures  were 
carried  out  by  99  organisations.  This  resulted  in  total 
savings of nearly EUR 123 million, 20 million m3 of water, 
882 GWh of electricity and 565 000 tonnes of CO2. 

The  Ladybird  Farm  leisure  centre  is  another  example  of 
good practice. This initiative encourages a lifestyle that is 
in  harmony  with  nature  and  the  environment,  mainly 
through the extensive use of renewable energy sources. 
The centre gets 80 % of its energy needs from sustainable 
sources.  The  Ladybird  Farm  considers  social  value  to  be 
as  important  as  financial  profit.  It  therefore  introduced 
the  ‘pay  by  waste’  concept,  whereby  visitors  can  pay  a 
part of their entrance fee using household waste, such as 
paper12. 

SMEs and resource efficiency 

The Hungarian business community’s interest in investing 
in resource efficiency is steady, but informing businesses 
of available opportunities is a challenge. 

Hungarian SMEs continue to be below the EU-28 average 
in the environmental dimension of the small business act 
(see  Figure  2).  The  proportion  of  Hungarian  SMEs  that 
take  resource-efficiency  measures  is  still  below  the  EU 
average,  as  is  the  proportion  of  SMEs  that  offer  green 
products and services. Moreover, the share of SMEs that 
have  benefited  from  public  support  measures  for  the 
production of their green products fell from 15 % in 2015 
to 0 % in 2017. 

11 Ablakon Bedobott Pénz 
12 Katica tanya | Élményközpont 

The  latest  Eurobarometer  on  ‘SMEs,  resource  efficiency 
and green markets’13 asked companies about both recent 
resource-efficiency actions they had taken and additional 
resource-efficiency  actions  they  planned  to  take  in  the 
next  2  years.  The  Eurobarometer  then  compared  these 
responses with responses given to the same questions in 
2015.  The proportion of Hungarian companies that took 
resource-efficiency  measures  is  still  below  the  EU-28 
average,  but  is  largely  stable  except  for  the  categories 
‘saving  materials'  and  ‘minimising  waste’.  The  findings 
were  the  same  for  Hungarian  companies’  ambitions  to 
invest in resource-efficiency measures in the near future 
—stable but below the EU average. 
Figure 2: Environmental performance of SMEs14 

19 % of Hungarian companies relied on external support 
in their efforts to be more resource-efficient (EU average 
22 %).  For  advice,  24 %  of  them  used  private  sector 
consultancy,  17 %  used  business  associations  and  16 % 
used  public  administrations.  All  three  are  below  the  EU 
average.  For  financing,  41 %  of  companies  used  private 
sector  funding  and  18 %  used  public  grants  or  loans. 
Most  companies in the EU (36 % of them) regard grants 
and  subsidies  as  the  biggest  help  in  becoming  resource-
efficient,  followed  by  technical  or  financial  consultancy, 

13 Flash Eurobarometer 456 ‘SME, resource efficiency and green 
markets’ January 2018. The 8 dimensions were Save energy; Minimise 
waste; Save materials; Save Water; Recycle by reusing material 
internally; Design products easier to maintain, repair or reuse; Use 
renewable energy; Sell scrap materials to another company. 
14 European Commission, 2018 SBA fact sheet - Hungary, p. 17. 

5 

                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

technology  demonstration  or  better  cooperation  among 
companies  (these  were  found  helpful  by  20-23 %  of 
surveyed  companies).  20 %  of  companies  say  that  none 
of these options would help. 

Among  Hungarian  companies,  grants  and  subsidies  are 
mentioned  by  45 %  as  useful  help.  Only  12 %  rate 
technical  consultancy  as  useful  and  only  13 %  rate 
financial consultancy as useful  — the  second  and fourth 
lowest rates in the EU-28. 21 % of Hungarian companies 
support  technology  demonstration  (EU  average  22 %). 
Only 4 % and 6 %, are in favour of self-assessment  tools 
or  databases  of  case  studies,  respectively.  26 %  don’t 
consider  any  type  of  support  to  be  useful  (EU  average 
20 %). 

Eco-innovation 
Hungary  ranked  21st  on  the  2018  European  Innovation 
Scoreboard, being the 10th  slowest-growing innovator (a 
0.1 % decrease since 2010)15. With a  total  score of 63 in 
the  overall  2017  Eco-innovation  Scoreboard,  Hungary 
ranked 24th in the EU. This position is similar to the other 
EU Member States that joined the EU in 2004. 
Figure 3: 2017 Eco-innovation index (EU=100)16 

Since  2010,  Hungary’s  eco-innovation  performance  has 
been  below  the  EU  average,  although  it  took  its  most 
significant  step  back  (of  seven  places)  in  2015  when  it 
ranked 17th among the 28 EU countries. 

15 European Commission, European innovation Scoreboard 2018. 
16 Eco-innovation Observatory: Eco-Innovation scoreboard 2017. 

6 

The  national  strategy  on  research  and  innovation  (NKIS, 
2011)  lists  the  need  to  ‘green’  the  tax  system,  to 
encourage  green  public  procurement  and  to  streamline 
the 
its  economic 
schemes  covered  by 
instruments. However, these are still being developed. 
Figure 4: Hungary’s eco-innovation performance17 

support 

technology 

The  national  environmental 
innovation 
strategy  (2011-2020)18,  which  includes  17  targets  for 
sustainable  resource  management  for  2020,  shows  how 
efforts are being made to include resource efficiency and 
circular  economy  considerations 
into  some  sectoral 
policies19. 

green 

economy  development  programme20 
The 
prioritises  green  energy,  energy  efficiency,  green 
research  and 
education,  employment,  and  green 
innovation.  Environmental  technology 
is 
innovation 
important  for  achieving  the  national  climate  change 
strategy 2008-2025 (NCCS) goals. 

In  2015,  the  national  research  and  innovation  office 
published a call for proposals for Hungarian SMEs wishing 
innovation  and  R&D  services  under  an 
to  receive 
innovation  voucher  scheme  to  increase  their  innovation 
activities21. 

2019 priority actions 

 

Strengthen  the  policy  framework  to  speed  up  the 
uptake  of  the  circular  economy  by  all  economic 
sectors,  especially  concerning  water  and  energy 
savings,  waste  reduction,  the  recycling  of  materials, 
eco-design  and/or  the  uptake  of  secondary  raw 
materials market; raise awareness within the general 
public  and  private  sector  on  circular  economy 
principles and products. 

  Adopt  circular  economy  principles 

incentivising 
resource  efficiency  measures  and 
increasing 
recycling  and  the  use  of  eco-design  in  the  SME 
jobs,  eco-innovation 
sector,  promoting  green 

17 Eco-innovation Observatory: Eco-Innovation scoreboard 2017. 
18 Nemzeti Környezettechnológiai Innovációs Stratégia (2011-2020). 
19 OECD Environmental Performance Reviews, Hungary 2018. 
20 Zöldgazdaság-fejlesztési Program. 
21 European Commission, Eco-Innovation Observatory: Eco-innovation 
Country Profiles 2016-2017. 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

performance and investments in green products and 
services. 

Waste management 

Turning waste into a resource is supported by: 
(i)  fully 
legislation,  which 
implementing  EU  waste 
includes  the  waste  hierarchy,  the  need  to  ensure 
landfill  diversion 
separate  collection  of  waste,  the 
targets, etc.; 
(ii) reducing waste generation and waste generation per 
capita in absolute terms; and  
(iii)  limiting  energy  recovery  to  non-recyclable  materials 
and  phasing  out  landfilling  of  recyclable  or  recoverable 
waste. 

This  section  focuses  on  management  of  municipal 
waste22  for  which  EU  law  sets  mandatory  recycling 
targets23. 

As shown in Figure 5, municipal waste generation in 2017 
has  slightly  increased  compared  to  2013  (from  378 
kg/y/inhabitant 
to  385  kg/y/inhabitant).  However, 
Hungary  remains  below  the  EU-28  average  of  487 
kg/y/inhabitant24. 
In  addition,  recycling  rates  have 
increased and landfilling has decreased. 

Figure  5:  Municipal  waste  by  treatment  in  Hungary 
2010-201725 

22 Municipal waste consists of mixed waste and separately collected 
waste from households and from other sources, where such waste is 
similar in nature and composition to waste from households. This is 
without prejudice to the allocation of responsibilities for waste 
management between public and private sectors. 
23 See Article 11.2 of Directive 2008/98/EC. This Directive was amended 
in 2018 by Directive (EU) 2018/851, and more ambitious recycling 
targets were introduced for the period up to 2035. 
24 Eurostat, Municipal waste generation and treatment, by type of 
treatment method. 
25 Eurostat, Municipal waste by waste operations. 

7 

Although it is slowly rising, the recycling rate of municipal 
waste  is  still  not  adequate.  The  rate  is  only  35 %,  which 
includes  a  composting  rate  of  only  8 %  of  municipal 
waste  generated.  This  is  well  below  the  EU  average  of 
around  46 %.  More  efforts  are  needed  if  Hungary  is  to 
meet  the  2020  target  of  50 %  of  municipal  waste 
recycling26.  In  the  Commission’s  ‘early  warning  report’ 
Hungary  is  among  the  countries  considered  at  risk  of 
missing this target27. An even greater effort is needed to 
meet the post-2020 recycling targets28. 
Figure 6: Recycling rate of municipal waste 2010-201729 

Despite  a  16 %  drop  since  2013,  landfilling  is  still  a 
predominant  form  of  municipal  waste  treatment  in 
Hungary  (48 %  vs  the  EU  average  of  around  28 %).  In 
2012-2015,  Hungary  did  not  meet  the  packaging  waste 
recycling  target  of  55 %.  The  rate  hovered  around  50 % 
during  this  period,  while  the  packaging  recovery  rate 
dropped slightly below the mandatory level of 60 %. 

There are no systems in place in Hungary for the separate 
collection of food waste from households. However, the 
government  is  taking  policy  measures  to  increase  the 
collection of glass packaging as it has not met its recycling 
target in this area since 2012. From 1 January 2018, there 
is  a  legal  requirement  for  shops  bigger  than  300  m2  to 

26 Member States may choose a different method than the one used by 
ESTAT (and referred to in this report) to calculate their recycling rates 
and track compliance with the 2020 target of 50 % recycling of 
municipal waste. 
27 European Commission, Report on the implementation of waste 
legislation, including the early warning report for Member States at risk 
of missing the 2020 preparation for re-use/recycling target on municipal 
waste, SWD(2018)419 accompanying COM(2018) 656. 
28 Directive (EU) 2018/851, Directive (EU) 2018/852, Directive (EU) 
2018/850 and Directive (EU) 2018/849 amend the previous waste 
legislation and set more ambitious recycling targets for the period up to 
2035. These targets will be taken into consideration to assess progress 
in future Environmental Implementation Reports. 
29 Eurostat, Recycling rate of municipal waste. 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

take  back  glass  packaging30.  The  related  implementing 
force  on  1 June  201831.  On 
rules  entered 
construction  and  demolition  waste,  work  to  prepare  a 
new government decree began in June 2018. 

into 

and 

Coordination 

Hungary  has  recently  introduced  major  waste  sector 
reforms.  A  state-owned  company  called  the  National 
Waste  Management 
Asset 
Management  Company  (Nemzeti  Hulladékgazdálkodási 
Koordináló  és  Vagyonkezelő  Zrt.)  has  been  coordinating 
and  overseeing  the  delivery  of  waste  services  at  local 
level  since  2016.  NHKV  is  responsible  for  distributing 
waste  fees to the relevant  operators and also for selling 
recyclable  materials,  supervising  infrastructure  spending 
and the use of EU funds. 

Hungary’s  2014-2020  national  waste  management  plan, 
adopted in 2013, has been under revision since the 2017 
EIR. One reason was so that it could take account of the 
requirements  of  the  new  EU  circular  economy  package, 
which was adopted in the meantime. There are no results 
on this exercise so far. 

For  streams  of  waste  dealt  with  by  public  service 
providers  (mostly  municipal  waste),  Hungary’s  national 
waste  management  plan  is  complemented  by  its  annual 
national  waste  management  service  plans.  As  the  2016 
version,  the  2017  national  waste  management  service 
plan32  sets  minimum  standards  for  service  providers.  In 
addition,  Hungary  recently  introduced  a  service  fee  to 
cover  the  costs  of  the  waste  collection  service.  If  the 
minimum  standards  are  exceeded,  the  service  providers 
receive  an  additional  payment,  but  if  the  standards  are 
not  met,  their  fees  are  deducted.  Building  on  the  2016 
plan,  the  new  plan  sets  obligations  for  public  service 
providers,  such  as  separate  collection  of  green  waste 
from  apartment  blocks  and  pre-treatment  requirements 
for  various  waste  types  (e.g.  aerosols).  With  the  new 
plan,  the  amount  of  pre-treated  municipal  waste  to  be 
landfilled cannot exceed 55 % of the total amount of such 
waste (compared to the previous 65 %). 

delivery 

decreasing 

The new service standards have resulted in considerable 
consolidation,  with  the  number  of  Hungary’s  waste 
service 
from 
companies 
approximately 140 to around 25. In addition, since 2013, 
only  those  companies  with  a  minimum  of  51 % 
ownership  by  the  state  or  municipality  are  allowed  to 
carry  out  the  collection  services.  Along  with  the 
development of the state company, these measures have 
reduced  the  role  of  the  private  sector  in  the  country’s 
service delivery in recent years. 

The  recent  structural  changes  in  service  management 
and  delivery  are  not  yet  reflected  in  the  performance 
data submitted to Eurostat. The new system is still being 
rolled out at local level and this will continue in the next 
few  years.  Note  that  Hungary’s  minimum  service 
standards  do  not  require  that  door-to-door  separate 
collection 
in  place.  Therefore,  the  service 
providers’  recycling  targets  are  unlikely  to  provide  a 
sufficient  incentive  to  increase  the  country’s  recycling 
rate.  In  addition,  the  residual  waste  is  generated  at  a 
faster rate than the country’s recycling services can deal 
with. In the absence of other financial incentives (such as 
a  ‘pay-as-you-throw’  scheme)  or  a  convenient  waste 
collection service, recycling rates are very likely to fall. 

is  put 

Hungary  also  needs  to  reconsider  using  effective 
economic instruments. It has no current plans to increase 
the  landfill  fee,  as  had  been  initially  planned.  It  is 
questionable if the current fee of EUR 20/tonne can drive 
the necessary change33. In addition, no residual waste tax 
is  being  proposed.  The  theory  is  that  the  financial 
incentive  to  recycle  will  be  provided  through  the  new 
funding system operated by the NHKV (described above). 
However,  this  incentive  is  not  thought  to  be  enough  to 
cover  the  likely  costs  of  providing  a  more  frequent 
service. 

To  help  bridge  the  implementation  gap  in  Hungary,  the 
Commission  has  prepared  a  roadmap  for  compliance34 
and  has  given  recommendations  in  its  ‘early  warning 
report’  on  how  Hungary  can  meet  the  2020  municipal 
waste 
these 
recommendations  is  even  more  important  if  Hungary  is 
to  meet  the  post-2020  recycling  and  landfill  targets  set 
out in the revised Waste Directives. 

Implementing 

recycling 

target. 

Preventing and reducing waste generation and increasing 
reuse  and  recycling  could  make  the  country  more 
resource-efficient and increase business opportunities. It 
could  also  help  the  transition  to  a  circular  economy  by 
providing jobs in the recycling sector. 

2019 priority actions 

  Gradually 

taxes 

increase 

to  phase-out 
landfill 
landfilling  of  recyclable  and  recoverable  waste.  Use 
the  revenues  for  measures  that  improve  waste 
management, in line with the waste hierarchy. 
Focus  on  implementation  of  the  separate  collection 
obligation  to 
including 
collection  of  bio-waste.  Develop  and  implement 
support 
minimum 
programmes for municipalities. 

increase  recycling  rates, 

standards 

service 

and 

 

30 Act CLXXXV of 2012, as amended. 
31 Government Decree 442/2012. (XII. 29.), as amended. 
32 OHKT 2017, adopted by Government Decree 2003/2017 (XII.22.). 

33 The landfill tax increased from EUR 10/t (2013) to EUR 20/t (2014) 
and it remained at that level since then. 
34 European Commission, 2016. Support to Implementation. Country 
factsheet Hungary. 

8 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

 

Improve  the  functioning  of  Extended  Producer 
Responsibility  Systems,  in  line  with  the  general 
minimum requirements35. 

Climate change 

The EU has committed to undertaking ambitious climate 
action internationally as well as in the EU, having ratified 
the Paris Climate Agreement on  5 October 2016. The EU 
targets are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 
20 % by 2020 and by at least 40 % by 2030, compared to 
1990.  As  a  long-term  target,  the  EU  aims  to  reduce  its 
emissions  by  80-95 %  by  2050,  as  part  of  the  efforts 
required by developed countries as a group. Adapting to 
the adverse effects of climate change is vital to alleviate 
its  already  visible  effects  and  improve  preparedness  for 
and resilience to future impacts. 

The EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) covers all large 
greenhouse  gas  emitters  in  the  industry,  power  and 
aviation  sectors  in  the  EU.  The  EU  ETS  applies  in  all 
Member States and has a very high compliance rate. Each 
year,  installations  cover  around  99 %  of  their  emissions 
with the required number of allowances.  

For emissions not covered by the EU ETS, Member States 
have  binding  national  targets  under  the  Effort  Sharing 
legislation. Hungary had lower emissions than its annual 
targets  in  each  of  the  years  2013-2017.  For  2020, 
Hungary's  national  target  under  the  EU  Effort  Sharing 
Decision  is  to  avoid  increasing  emissions  by  more  than 
10 %  compared  to  2005.  For  2030,  Hungary's  national 
target  under  the  Effort  Sharing  Regulation  will  be  to 
reduce emissions by 7 % compared to 2005.  

Transport  represents  almost  a  quarter  of  Europe's 
greenhouse  gas  emissions  and  is  the  main  cause  of  air 
pollution 
in  Hungary 
increased by 24 % from 2013 to 2016.  

in  cities.  Transport  emissions 

The  Regulation  on  fluorinated  greenhouse  gases  (F-gas) 
requires  Member States to run training and certification 
programmes,  to  introduce  rules  for  penalties  and  to 
notify  the  Commission  on  these  measures  by  2017. 
Hungary has fulfilled the notification requirement.  

35 Set out in Directive (EU) 2018/851 amending Directive 2008/98/EC. 

9 

The  accounting  of  GHG  emissions  and  removals  from 
forests and agriculture is governed by the Kyoto Protocol. 
Reported  quantities  under  the  Kyoto  Protocol  for 
Hungary show net removals of, on average, -4.0 Mt CO2-
eq  for  the  period  2013  to  2016.  In  this  regard  Hungary 
contributes  with  1.0 %  to  the  annual  average  sink  of  -
384.4  Mt  CO2-eq  of  the  EU-28.  Accounting  for  the  same 
period depicts net credits of, on average, -2.9 Mt CO2-eq, 
which corresponds to 2.5 % of the EU-28 accounted sink 
of  -115.7  Mt  CO2-eq.  Reported  net  removals  and 
accounted  net  credits  show  an  increase  between  2013 
and 2015 and a sharp decrease for 2016.36 

Figure  7:  Change  in  total  greenhouse  gas  emissions 
1990-2017 (1990=100 %)37. 

The  EU  Strategy  on  adaptation  to  climate  change, 
adopted  in  2013,  aims  to  make  Europe  more  climate-
resilient, by promoting action by Member States, better-
informed  decision  making,  and  promoting  adaptation  in 
key vulnerable sectors. By adopting a coherent approach 
and  providing  for  improved  coordination,  it  seeks  to 
enhance the preparedness and capacity of all governance 
levels to respond to the impacts of climate change.  

36 COM (2018) 716 and SWD (2018) 453. 
37 Annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990–2016 (EEA 
greenhouse gas data viewer). Proxy GHG emission estimates for 2017. 
Approximated EU greenhouse gas inventory 2017 (European 
Environment Agency). Member States national projections, reviewed by 
the European Environment Agency. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Figure  8:  Targets  and  emissions  for  Hungary  under  the 
Effort Sharing Decision and Effort Sharing Regulation38. 

Hungary  adopted  its  National  Energy  Efficiency  Action 
Plan  in  2015.39  The  National  Energy  Strategy  203040  and 
the National Renewable Energy Action Plan  2010-202041 
aim at reducing Hungary’s energy dependence, and seek 
to boost the share of renewable energy sources.  

Figure 9: Greenhouse gas emissions by sector (Mt. CO2-
eq.). Historical data 1990-2016. Projections 2017-203042. 

38 Proxy GHG emission estimates for 2017Approximated EU greenhouse 
gas inventory 2017 (European Environment Agency). Member States 
national projections, reviewed by the European Environment Agency. 
39 Magyarország Nemzeti Energiahatékonysági Cselekvési Terve 2020-ig. 
40 Nemzeti Energiastratégia 2030. 
41 Magyarország Megújuló Energia Hasznosítási Cselekvési Terve 2010-
2020. 
42 Annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990–2016 (EEA 
greenhouse gas data viewer). Proxy GHG emission estimates for 2017. 
Approximated EU greenhouse gas inventory 2017 (European 
Environment Agency). Member States national projections, reviewed by 
the European Environment Agency. 

10 

The  second  National  Climate  Change  Strategy  (NCCS-2) 
was  adopted  by  the  Parliament  in  October  2018  for  the 
period  2018-30.43  The  NCCS-2  contains  an  outlook  to 
2050,  taking  into  account  the  objectives  of  the  Paris 
Agreement,  and  is  based  on  three  pillars:  mitigation  of 
GHG emissions across all economic sectors; adaptation to 
climate  change;  and  implementation  of  the  strategy  by 
raising public awareness on climate change issues. Main 
areas of interventions are: energy efficiency in buildings, 
renewable  energy  use,  transport  and  environment,  and 
afforestation.  The  first  NCCS  contains  projections  and 
incentives concerning adaptation in the following sectors: 
natural  environment,  health,  water  management, 
agriculture,  crop  and 
livestock  management,  forest 
management, 
regional  development,  human/built 
environment.  NCCS-2  would  add  to  the  list  regional 
infrastructure, 
development,  urban  planning,  green 
critical 
is 
complemented  by  three  other  strategic  documents:  the 
National  Decarbonisation  Roadmap  provides  guidelines 
in  the  different 
for  reductions  of  GHG  emissions 
economic  sectors;  the  National  Adaptation  Strategy 
analyses  environmental  risks  and  climate  security  issues 
posed  by  climate  change  and  related  impacts  on  rural 
management, 
development, 
environmental  health,  energy  policy  and  tourism;  the 
Climate Awareness Plan supports implementation of the 
NCCS-2  through  analysis,  research  and  dissemination  of 
information44. 

infrastructure  and  tourism.  The  NCCS-2 

resources 

water 

The  total  revenues  from  the  auctioning  of  emission 
allowances  under  the  EU  ETS  over  the  years  2013-2017 
were EUR 338 million.  

In  the  Carpathian  basin  the  warming  was  1-1.25  degree 
between  1851  and  2013,  thus  Hungary  is  significantly 
exposed  to  climate  change.  The  summer  big  discharges 
will  probably  decrease,  while  the  winter  discharges  will 
not  change  significantly.  The  frequency  of  the  extreme 
intensity  precipitation  will  expectedly  grow,  which  will 
increase  the  risk  of  extreme  floods.  It  is  also  expected 
that  the  flash  floods  on  smaller  water  courses  will 
increase.  Low  water  levels  in  still  waters  will  be  more 
frequent, which through the rising of water temperature 
will  worsen  water  quality.  Decrease  of  the  intake  of  the 
lakes  and  increase  of  the  evaporation  can  be  expected, 
which projects the increase of the numbers of the years 
with a deficit water balance, the worsening of the lakes’ 
water-exchange activity. Due to decreasing infiltration or 
supply,  the  regional  sinking  of  the  level  of  the  shallow 
sub-surface  waters  can  be  expected  (for  instance  the 
Duna-Tisza köze Sand Ridge and the Nyírség). 45 

43 Second National Climate Change Strategy, 2018. 
44 OECD Environmental Performance Reviews, Hungary 2018 
45 Nemzeti Vízstratégia – Kvassay Jenő Terv. 

 
 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

An  operational  drought  and water  scarcity  management 
system is currently under development in Hungary. Based 
on  meteorological  and  soil  moisture  data  measured  by 
monitoring  stations,  it  will  serve  as  the  water  sector’s 
damage  control  during  water-scarce  periods  but  also 
could be utilised by the agriculture. 

2019 priority action 

In this report, no priority actions have been included on 
climate action, as the Commission will first need to assess 
the  draft  national  energy  and  climate  plans  which  the 
Member  States  needed  to  send  by  end  of  2018.  These 
plans  should  increase  the  consistency  between  energy 
and climate policies and could therefore become a good 
example  of  how  to  link  sector-specific  policies  on  other 
interlinked themes  such as agriculture-nature-water and 
transport-air-health.  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

2. 

Protecting, conserving and enhancing natural capital 

Nature and biodiversity 

in  the  EU  by  2020. 

The  EU  biodiversity  strategy  aims  to  halt  the  loss  of 
biodiversity 
full 
implementation  of  the  Birds  and  Habitats  Directives  to 
achieve  favourable  conservation  status  of  protected 
species and habitats. It also requires that the agricultural 
and  forest  sectors  help  to  maintain  and 
improve 
biodiversity. 

It  requires 

Biodiversity strategy 
Hungary  adopted  a  revised  biodiversity  strategy46  in 
2015.  The  strategy  aims  to  halt  the  loss  of  biological 
diversity  and  to  stop  any  further  decline  in  Hungary’s 
ecosystem  services  by  2020  and  to  improve  their  status 
as much as possible. These aims  can only be achieved if 
biodiversity  conservation  aspects  are  integrated  into 
cross-sectoral  policies,  strategies  and  programmes  and 
their implementation.47 

Hungary’s  national  biodiversity  strategy  focuses  on  six 
policy  areas:  protecting  areas  and  species  that  are 
subject to nature conservation; maintaining the diversity 
of  the  landscape;  green  infrastructure  and  ecosystem 
services; agriculture-related issues; managing forests and 
game  sustainably  and  protecting  the  country’s  water 
resources;  combating 
invasive  alien  species  /non-
indigenous  species;  ensuring  Hungary’s  role  in  fulfilling 
the  obligations  arising  from  international  biodiversity 
protection agreements48. 

Setting-up a coherent network of Natura 2000 sites 

Hungary hosts 46 habitat types and 142 species covered 
by  the  Habitats  Directive.  The  country  also  hosts 
populations of 78 bird species listed in the Birds Directive 
and  23  migratory  species.  In  2018,  21.44 %  of  the 
national  land  area  of  Hungary  was  covered  by  Natura 
2000  sites 
(EU  average  18.1 %),  with  56  special 
protection  areas  under  the  Birds  Directive,  covering 
14.78 %  of  the  country’s  land  area  (EU  average  12.3 %) 
and  479  sites  of  Community  importance  under  the 
Habitats  Directive,  covering  15.25 %  of  land  area  (EU 
average 13.8 %). 

46 National Strategy for the Conservation of Biodiversity (2015-2020). 
47 There is an ongoing project (2016-2020) „Strategic assessments 
supporting the long-term conservation of natural values of Community 
interest as well as the national implementation of the EU Biodiversity 
Strategy to 2020” which aims at defining the current status and socio-
economical value of natural resources, developing a toolkit for long-
term preservation of natural assets and supporting the sectoral 
strategic planning. 
48 Green Infrastructure in Hungary 

The Birds and Habitats Directives require Member States 
to establish a coherent national network of Natura 2000 
sites.  The  Commission  assesses  compliance  with  this 
requirement  individually  for  each  species  and  habitat 
type  occurring  on  the  national  territory  of  the  Member 
States.  The latest  update of this assessment  was  carried 
out  by  the  Commission  with  the  assistance  of  the 
European Environment Agency. On the basis of this latest 
is  now 
update,  Hungary’s  Natura  2000  network 
considered to be complete. 

Designating Natura 2000 sites and setting conservation 
objectives and measures 

In Hungary, the legal framework for Natura 2000  sites is 
established  by  a  government  decree.  This  decree 
regulates  the  preparation  process  for  designating  a  site, 
in line with the detailed Natura 2000 rules49. 

By  the  end  of  2013,  Hungary  had  designated  all  sites  as 
special  areas  of  conservation  under  Article 4(4)  of  the 
Habitats  Directive.  In  May  2018,  325 Natura  2000  sites 
(61,9 % of the total) had management plans in place, an 
additional  96  plans  were  prepared  and  waiting  for 
adoption,  and  further  20  plans  are  under  preparation. 
Under national legislation, these plans are not mandatory 
and  there  is  no  legal  obligation  to  implement  them. 
Therefore, their implementation cannot be enforced, but 
depends, for example, on agri-environmental subsidies as 
well  as  stakeholder  involvement.  The  directorates  of  10 
national  parks  are  responsible  for  managing  the  Natura 
2000 sites and enforcing the nature legislation, under the 
supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. 

49 Government Decree 275/2004 (X.8.). 

12 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

restoring 
in  maintaining  or 
Progress 
conservation status of species and habitats 

favourable 

The  2017  EIR  referred  to  the  latest  available  reports  by 
the Member States on the conservation status of habitats 
and  species  which  were  from  2012.  New  data  will  be 
available for the next EIR. 

2019 priority actions 

 

Put  in  place  clearly  defined  conservation  objectives 
and  the  necessary  conservation  measures  for  the 
sites.  Ensure  adequate 
financial  and  human 
resources to manage the sites.  

  Develop  and  promote  smart  and  streamlined 
implementation approaches, in particular as regards 
appropriate  assessment  procedures  and  species 
the  necessary 
permitting  procedures,  ensuring 
knowledge  and  data  availability  and  strengthen 
communication with stakeholders. 

Maintaining  and  restoring  ecosystems  and 
their services 

The EU biodiversity strategy aims to maintain and restore 
ecosystems  and  their  services  by 
including  green 
infrastructure  in  spatial  planning  and  restoring  at  least 
15 %  of  degraded  ecosystems  by  2020.  The  EU  green 
infrastructure  strategy  promotes  the  incorporation  of 
green infrastructure into related plans and programmes. 

The EU has provided guidance on the further deployment 
of  green  and  blue  infrastructure  in  Hungary50  and  a 
country page on the Biodiversity Information System for 
Europe  (BISE)51.  This  information  will  also  contribute  to 
the  final  evaluation  of  the  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  to 
2020. 

through 

In  Hungary,  green  infrastructure  is  mainly  implemented 
in  spatial  planning  policies 
the  national 
ecological  network.  The  2003  Act  on  National  Spatial 
Planning  sets  rules  for  each  of  the  ecological  network’s 
activities  and  provides  guidance  for  certain  sectors  such 
industry.  The  definition  of  green 
as  the  energy 
infrastructure  is  very  broadly  interpreted.  Despite  the 
challenges  in  coordination  caused  by  the  complexity  of 
approaches  and  the  broad  interpretation,  there  is  a 
willingness to develop green infrastructure.  

There  are  various  possibilities  for  financing  green 
infrastructure,  for example EU funding tools such as the 
European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  or  LIFE. 
research,  development  and 
The  unified  national 

innovation  fund  provides  state  support  for  research, 
development  and  innovation  in  environmental  fields, 
particularly 
researching  and  developing  green 
infrastructure. 

for 

infrastructure 

in  urban  policy 

Green 
is  encouraged 
through ‘green city’ calls published by the Territorial and 
Settlement  Development  Operational  Programme. 
Hungary’s  ‘Green  City’  initiative  focuses  on  greening 
measures  in  general  and  creates  green  spaces  in  cities. 
Miskolc, the first city involved in this initiative, integrates 
green infrastructure in urban spatial planning and builds 
its  urban  development  strategy  and  concrete  actions 
around sustainability.  

is 

implemented 

infrastructure 

Green 
in  water 
management  through  the Danube  river  basin  district 
management  plan.  The 2017-2026  national  landscape 
strategy  also  encourages  green 
It 
provides  a  framework  for  the  complex  preservation, 
protection,  planning  and  development  of  green 
infrastructure  elements53. However, green infrastructure 
still  needs  to  be  implemented  in  sector-specific  policies 
such as forest management or disaster risk reduction. 

infrastructure52. 

infrastructure, 

Hungary participates in several trans-border projects that 
the 
such  as: 
promote  green 
(2017-2019)54  to  develop  an 
TRANSGREEN  project 
environmentally-friendly and safe transport network; and 
(ii)  the  ‘INSiGHTS’  Integrated  slow,  green  and  healthy 
tourism strategies project55, with partners in the Danube 
region. 

(i) 

One element of a national initiative on the mapping and 
assessment  of  ecosystems  and  their  services  (MAES), 
under  preparation  within  the  Environment  and  Energy 
Efficiency  Operational  Programme  (EEEOP),  deals  with 
the  main  questions  of  green  infrastructure.  A  strategic 
framework will be worked out to lay down the priorities 
for  restoration  of  degraded  ecosystems,  the  mapping  of 
currently existing green infrastructure system, identifying 
its conflict areas and possible development directions will 
be carried out. An essential goal is to set out the methods 
into 
the  whole  project’s 
of 
administrative  procedures.  Besides  the  methods  on 
national level, the project  will also work on methods for 
developing  and  preserving  green 
infrastructure  on 
settlement level in selected pilot areas. 

integrating 

results 

50 The recommendations of the green infrastructure strategy review 
report and the EU Guidance on a strategic framework for further 
supporting the deployment of EU-level green and blue infrastructure. 
51 Biodiversity Information System for Europe. 

52 Governmental Decision 1128/2017. (III.20.). 
53 Green Infrastructure in Hungary. 
54 http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/transgreen. 
55 http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/insights. 

13 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

The 

Coalition’s 

protocol58. 
assessments 
Natural 
contribute  to  the  EU  biodiversity  strategy  by  helping 
private  businesses  to  better  understand  and  value  both 
their  impact  and  dependence  on  nature.  Biodiversity 
platforms  have  been  established  at  EU  level59  and  in  a 
number  of  Member  States.  Hungary  has  not  yet 
established such a platform. 

2019 priority action 

  Continue supporting the mapping and assessment of 
ecosystems  and  their  services,  evaluation  and 
development of natural capital accounting systems. 

Invasive alien species 

Under  the  EU  biodiversity  strategy,  the  following  are  to 
be achieved by 2020:  
(i) invasive alien species identified;  
(ii) priority species controlled or eradicated; and  
(iii)  pathways  managed  to  prevent  new  invasive  species 
from disrupting European biodiversity.  
This  is  supported  by  the  Invasive  Alien  Species  (IAS) 
Regulation, which entered into force on 1 January 2015. 

Figure  11:  Number  of  IAS  of  EU  concern,  based  on 
available georeferenced information for Hungary60 

Estimating natural capital 

The  EU  biodiversity  strategy  calls  on  Member  States  to 
map  and  assess  the  state  of  ecosystems  and  their 
services56 in their national territories by 2014, assess the 
economic  value  of  such  services  and  integrate  these 
values  into  accounting  and  reporting  systems  at  EU  and 
national level by 2020. 

The national initiative on the mapping and assessment of 
ecosystems  and  their  services  within  the  EEEOP  has 
finished 
the 
implementation  phase.  In  2018,  the  first  version  of  a 
National  Ecosystem  Map  has  been  created.  The 
classification system meets the MAES requirements.  

scoping  phase 

started 

and 

the 

The  involvement  of  key  stakeholders  like  Institute  of 
Ecology  of  the  Academy,  the  Agriculture  &  Economy 
Institute  and  the  Soil  Institute  of  the  Academy  and  the 
Department  of  Geodesy  Remote  Sensing  and  Land 
level  both 
Offices  ensures  the  highest  professional 
scientifically and technically. Within the project a slightly 
modified  MAES  classification  has  been  used  during  a 
prioritisation process.  

As  a  result  13  ecosystem  services  for  assessment  have 
been selected. The selection of indicators and scoping of 
ecosystem  services  are  under  way.  The  assessment  and 
mapping of ecosystem services are planned for 2019 and 
2020. 
The  EU  ESMERALDA  project57  has  been  providing  6-
monthly  assessments  of  country  progress  on  the 
mapping  and  assessment  of  ecosystems  and  their 
implementation  questions. 
services,  based  on  27 
However, the assessment of progress for Hungary cannot 
be  completed  until  the  information  is  presented  in  the 
workshop of March 2019. 

Figure  10: 
(September 2018) 

Implementation  of  MAES,  Hungary 

The  report  on  the  baseline  distribution  of  invasive  alien 
species (Figure 11), for which Hungary did not review its 
country  or  grid-level  data,  shows  that  16  of  the  37 
species on the first EU list have already been observed in 

Business  and  biodiversity  platforms,  networks  and 
communities of practice are key tools for promoting and 
facilitating  natural  capital  assessments  among  business 
and  financial  service  providers,  for  instance  via  the 

56 Ecosystem services are benefits provided by nature such as food, 
clean water and pollination on which human society depends. 
57 ESMERALDA project 

58 Natural Capital Protocol 
59 Business and Biodiversity, The European Business and Biodiversity 
Campaign aims to promote the business case for biodiversity in the EU 
Member States through workshops, seminars and a cross media 
communication strategy. 
60 Tsiamis K; Gervasini E; Deriu I; D`amico F; Nunes A; Addamo A; De 
Jesus Cardoso A. Baseline Distribution of Invasive Alien Species of Union 
concern. Ispra (Italy): Publications Office of the European Union; 2017, 
EUR 28596 EN, doi:10.2760/772692. 

14 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

in Hungary. Many of them are aquatic species. For these, 
the highest concentration is along the Danube river. The 
most  widely  distributed  among  these  16  species  is  the 
spiny-cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus). 

Between  the  entry  into  force  of  the  EU  list  and  18 May 
2018,  Hungary  has  submitted  one  early  detection 
notification  of  coypu  (Myocastor  coypus),  as  required 
under Article 16(2) of the IAS Regulation61.  

responsible 

implementing 

Hungary  has  notified  the  Commission  of  its  competent 
authorities 
IAS 
for 
Regulation  as  required  by  Article 24(2).  It  has  also 
informed  the  Commission  of  the  national  provisions  on 
penalties applicable to infringements (Article 30(4) of the 
IAS Regulation) and has therefore fulfilled its notification 
obligations under the Regulation. 

the 

report  of  the  European  Commission64  estimated  that 
potentially  polluting  activities  have  taken  or  are  still 
taking place on approximately 2.8 million sites in the EU. 
At EU level,  650 000 of these sites have been registered 
in national or regional inventories. 65 500  contaminated 
sites  already  have  been  remediated.  Hungary  has 
registered  5 375  sites  where  potentially  polluting 
activities have taken or are taking place, and already has 
remediated or applied aftercare measures on 347 sites. 
Figure 12: Proportion of artificial land cover, 2015 65 

2019 priority action 

 

Investigate the apparent lack of data and seek ways 
of improving the surveillance system 

Soil protection 

The  EU  soil  thematic  strategy  underlines  the  need  to 
ensure a  sustainable use of soils.  This  entails preventing 
further  soil  degradation  and  preserving  its  functions,  as 
well as restoring degraded soils. The 2011 Roadmap to a 
Resource Efficient Europe states that by 2020, EU policies 
must  take  into  account  their  direct  and  indirect  impact 
on land use. 

Soil  is  a  finite  and  extremely  fragile  resource  and  it  is 
increasingly  degrading  in  the  EU.  Soil  organic  matter 
plays an important role in the carbon cycle and in climate 
change.  Soils  are  the  second  largest  carbon  sink  in  the 
world after the oceans. 
The percentage of artificial land62 in Hungary (Figure 12) 
can show the relative pressure on nature and biodiversity 
and  the  environmental  pressure  on  people  living  in 
urbanised areas. A similar measure is population density. 

Hungary  is  in  line  with  the  EU  average  for  artificial  land 
coverage  (4 %  vs  4.1 %).  The  population  density 
is 
107.6/km2, which is below the EU average of 11863. 

Contamination  can  severely  reduce  soil  quality  and 
threaten  human  health  or  the  environment.  A  recent 

61 Eradication measures were notified in October 2018. 
62 Artificial land cover is defined as the total of roofed built-up areas 
(including buildings and greenhouses), artificial non built-up areas 
(including sealed area features, such as yards, farmyards, cemeteries, 
car parking areas etc. and linear features, such as streets, roads, 
railways, runways, bridges) and other artificial areas (including bridges 
and viaducts, mobile homes, solar panels, power plants, electrical 
substations, pipelines, water sewage plants, and open dump sites). 
63 Eurostat, Population density by NUTS 3 region. 

Soil erosion by water is a natural process, but this natural 
process can be aggravated by climate change and human 
activities  such  as  inappropriate  agricultural  practices, 
deforestation,  forest  fires  or  construction  works.  High 
levels  of  soil  erosion  can  reduce  productivity 
in 
agriculture  and  can  have  negative  and  transboundary 
impacts  on  biodiversity  and  ecosystem  services.  High 
levels  of  soil  erosion  can  also  have  negative  and 
lakes  (due  to 
transboundary  effects  on  rivers  and 
increased 
transport  of 
and 
volumes 
contaminants).  According  to  the  RUSLE2015  model66, 

sediment 

64 Ana Paya Perez, Natalia Rodriguez Eugenio (2018), Status of local soil 
contamination in Europe: Revision of the indicator “Progress in the 
management Contaminated Sites in Europe” 
65 Eurostat, Land covered by artificial surfaces by NUTS 2 regions. 
66 Panagos, P., Borrelli, P., Poesen, J., Ballabio, C., Lugato, E., 
Meusburger, K., Montanarella, L., Alewell, C., The new assessment of 

15 

                                                                 
 
                                                                 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Hungary  has  an  average  soil  loss  rate  by  water  of  1.62 
tonnes  per  hectare  per  year  (t ha−a yr−y)  compared  with 
the  EU  mean  of  2.46 t ha−a yr−y.  This  indicates  that  soil 
erosion  in  Hungary  is  low  on  average.  Note  that  these 
figures  are  the  output  of  an  EU-level  model  and  can 
therefore  not  be  considered  as  locally  measured  values. 
The  actual  rate  of  soil  loss  can  vary  strongly  within  a 
Member State depending on local conditions. 

soil loss by water erosion in Europe, (2015) Environmental Science and 
Policy, 54, pp. 438-447. 

16 

 
 
                                                                                                        
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

3. 

Ensuring citizens' health and quality of life 

Air quality 

EU clean air  policy and legislation require the significant 
improvement  of  air  quality  in  the  EU,  moving  the  EU 
closer to the quality recommended by the World Health 
Organisation  Air  pollution  and  its  impacts  on  human 
health,  ecosystems  and  biodiversity  should  be  further 
reduced with the long-term aim of not exceeding critical 
loads  and  levels.  This  requires  strengthening  efforts  to 
reach  full  compliance  with  EU  air  quality  legislation  and 
defining strategic targets and actions beyond 2020. 

The  EU  has  developed  a  comprehensive  body  of  air 
legislation67,  which  establishes  health-based 
quality 
standards and objectives for a number of air pollutants. 

The  emissions  of  several  air  pollutants  have  decreased 
in  Hungary68.  The  emission  reductions 
significantly 
between  1990  and  2014  mentioned  in  the  previous  EIR, 
continued between 2014 and 2016. Emissions of sulphur 
oxides  (SOx)  fell  by  16.3 %  and  emissions  of  nitrogen 
oxides  (NOx)  fell  by  4.87 %.  Meanwhile,  emissions  of 
volatile  organic  compounds  (NMVOCs) 
increased  by 
0.13 %, emissions of ammonia (NH3) increased by 5.61 % 
and emissions of  fine particulate matter PM2.5 increased 
by  3.28 % 69  (see  Figure  13  on  the  total  PM2.5  and  NOx 
emissions per sector). 

Despite  the  reduction  in  emissions  since  1990,  the 
country  needs  to  make  additional  efforts  to  meet  its 
emission  reduction  commitments  (compared  with  2005 
levels)  set  by  the  new  National  Emissions  Ceilings 
Directive 70 for 2020-2029 and for any year from 2030. 

Air  quality  in  Hungary  continues  to  give  cause  of  severe 
concern.  For  2015,  the  European  Environment  Agency 
estimated  that  more  than  12 800  premature  deaths  in 
Hungary  were  attributable  to  fine  particulate  matter71 
concentrations, more than 530 to ozone72 concentrations 

67 European Commission, 2016. Air Quality Standards 
68 See EIONET Central Data Repository and Air pollutant emissions data 
viewer (NEC Directive) 
69The current national emission ceilings have been mandatory since 
2010 (Directive 2001/81/EC); revised ceilings for 2020 and 2030 have 
been set by Directive (EU) 2016/2284 on the reduction of national 
emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants, amending Directive 
2003/35/EC and repealing Directive 2001/81/EC. 
70 Directive 2016/2284/EU. 
71 Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of aerosol particles (solid and 
liquid) covering a wide range of sizes and chemical compositions. PM10 
(PM2.5) refers to particles with a diameter of 10 (2.5) micrometres or 
less. PM is emitted from many anthropogenic sources, including both 
combustion and non-combustion sources. 
72 Low level ozone is produced by photochemical action. 

and  more 
concentrations74. 

than 

1 300 

to 

nitrogen 

dioxide73 

Figure  13:  PM2.5  and  NOx  emissions  by  sector 
Hungary75 

in 

For 201776, exceedances related to the annual limit value 
for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were registered in two (out of 
ten) air quality zones (Budapest, Pesc) and for particulate 
in  five  air  quality  zones  (including 
matter  (PM10) 
Budapest,  Pécs  and  Sajó  Valley).  Exceedances  have  also 
been  registered  related  to  particulate  matter  (PM2.5)  in 
one  air  quality  zone  (Sajó  Valley).  In  addition,  target 
values  for  benzo(a)pyrene  and  for  ozone  concentration 
were also exceeded. See Figure 14 on the number of air 
quality zones exceeding NO2, PM2.5, and PM10 levels. 

The persistent breaches of air quality standards (for PM10 
and  NO2)  have  severe  negative  effects  on  health  and 
environment.  The  Commission  has  referred  Hungary,  as 
well  as  several  other  Member  States,  to  the  European 
Court of Justice for exceeding PM10 levels77. The aim is to 
ensure that adequate measures are put in place to bring 
all zones into compliance. 

73 NOx is emitted during fuel combustion e.g. from industrial facilities 
and the road transport sector. NOx is a group of gases comprising 
nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). 
74 EEA, Air Quality in Europe – 2018 Report, p.64. Please see details in 
this report as regards the underpinning methodology. 
75 2016 NECD data submitted by Member State to the EEA. 
76 Eionet Central Data Repository. Information on the attainment of 
environmental objectives - 2016. 

77 COM (2018) 330. 

17 

 
                                                                 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Figure  14:  Air  quality  zones  exceeding  EU  air  quality 
standards in 201778  

The  National  Public  Health  Center  (NPHC)  provides 
strategies  on  reducing  indoor  and  outdoor  air  pollution 
and to reduce its health effects in the general population 
and  different  stakeholders.  An  air  quality  health  index 
has  been  developed  and  applied  for  the  air  quality  data 
produced  by  the  Hungarian  air  quality  monitoring 
network. The four categories of the air quality index are 
based  on  the  health  effects  of  the  major  air  pollutants 
(PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, CO). Since 2007, the index values are 
depicted on a map for all settlements where at least one 
monitoring  station  is  located  and  published  on  the 
webpage of NPHC daily.79 

According to a special report from the European Court of 
Auditors80,  EU  action  to  protect  human  health  from  air 
pollution has not had its expected impact. There is a risk 
that  air  pollution  is  being  underestimated  in  some 
instances because it may not always be monitored in the 
right  places.  Member  States  are  now  required  to  report 
both  real-time  and  validated  air  quality  data  to  the 
Commission81. 

In  July  2018,  Hungary  participated  in  a  TAIEX-EIR  P2P 
workshop  in  Bratislava  alongside  experts  from  Slovakia, 
the  Czech  Republic,  Estonia,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Germany, 
Belgium, Poland, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, 
Bulgaria.  Participants  from  these  countries  shared  their 
knowledge  and  experiences  on  effective  measures  and 
good  practices  to  reduce  emissions  from  domestic 
heating.  

Another  TAIEX-EIR  P2P  workshop  took  place  in  Graz, 
Austria, in September 2018. The event brought together 
from 
environmental  authorities,  regions  and  cities 
Austria,  Croatia,  Estonia,  Germany,  Hungary, 
Italy, 
Lithuania,  Poland,  Romania,  the  Slovak  Republic,  Spain 
and Sweden to exchange experiences and good practices 
on reducing air  pollution and making air  quality plans in 
zones or agglomerations where the levels of pollutants in 
ambient  air  exceed  the  limits  or  target  values  more 
effective. 

Hungary hosted a TAIEX-EIR P2P multi-country workshop 
on  ammonia  emissions  from  agriculture,  on  29  –  30 
October.  Experts 
from  governments  and  agencies 
working on air quality policy and agriculture participated 
from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, 
Denmark,  Estonia,  Finland,  France,  Germany,  Greece, 
Ireland, 
Italy,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Luxemburg,  Malta, 
Norway,  Poland,  Romania,  Slovak  Republic,  Sweden  and 
the Netherlands.  

An  earlier  clean  air  dialogue  with  the  European 
Commission took place in October 2017 in Budapest. The 
conclusions were that: (i) there is an urgent need to plan 
and  carry  out  further  measures  to  reduce  particle 
emissions  from  burning  solid  fuel  in  private  households; 
(ii)  agricultural  growth  needs  to  be  accompanied  by 
measures  to  reduce  ammonia  emissions;  (iii)  short-term 
measures to reduce emissions from vehicles circulating in 
urban areas are needed; (iv) Hungary should draw on the 
experiences of other EU countries; and (v) the concerned 
stakeholders need to be involved at the earliest stage to 
ensure  the  mitigation  measures  are 
implemented 
effectively. 

2019 priority actions 

 

In  the  context  of  developing  an  adequate  National 
Air  Pollution  Control  Programme  (NAPCP),  take 
actions towards reducing the main emission sources; 
and meet all air quality standards.  

  Accelerate  reductions 

in  nitrogen  oxide 

(NOx) 
emissions and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations 
by further reducing transport emissions, in particular 
in urban areas. It may also require proportionate and 
targeted restrictions on vehicle access to urban areas 
and/or fiscal incentives. 

78 EEA, EIONET Central Data Repository. Data reflects the reporting 
situation as of 26 November 2018. 
79 Országos Közegészségügyi Intézet OKI  
80 European Court of Auditors, Special report no 23/2018, Air pollution: 
Our health still insufficiently protected, p.41. 
81 Article 5 of Commission Implementing Decision 2011/850/EU of 
12 December 2011 laying down rules for Directives 2004/107/EC and 
2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards 
the reciprocal exchange of information and reporting on ambient air 
quality (OJ L 335, 17.12.2011, p. 86) requires Member States to provide 
Up-To-Date data. 

  Accelerate  reductions  in  particulate  matter  (PM2.5 
and PM10) emissions and concentrations by reducing 
emissions  from  energy  production  and  from  heat 
generation  using  solid  fuels.  It  will  also  require  the 
promotion of efficient and clean district heating. 
  Reduce the use of coal for domestic heating in order 
to limit air pollutants emissions, for instance building 
on the “Coal regions in transition” initiative. 

  Reduce  NMVOCs  emissions  (where  applicable,  to 
comply  with  currently  applicable  national  emission 
ceilings). 

18 

 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Industrial emissions 

The  main objectives of EU policy on industrial emissions 
are to: 
(i) protect air, water and soil; 
(ii) prevent and manage waste; 
(iii) improve energy and resource efficiency; and  
(iv) clean up contaminated sites.  
To  achieve  this,  the  EU  takes  an  integrated  approach  to 
the  prevention  and  control  of  routine  and  accidental 
industrial emissions. The cornerstone of the policy is the 
Industrial Emissions Directive82 (IED). 

The  below  overview  of  industrial  activities  regulated  by 
the  IED  is  based  on  the  ‘industrial  emissions  policy 
country profiles’ project83. 

In  Hungary,  around  1150  industrial  installations  must 
have a permit according to the IED. In 2015, the industrial 
sectors  in  Hungary  with  most  IED  installations  were 
‘other  activities’  (60 %  of  total  —  mostly  the  intensive 
rearing  of  poultry  or  pigs),  followed  by  non-hazardous 
waste management (14 %) and chemicals (9 %). 

Figure  15:  Number  of  IED  industrial  installations  by 
sector, Hungary (2015) 

The sectors identified as contributing the most emissions 
to air in Hungary can be seen in Figure 16 below. 

The sectors responsible for the most  emissions to water 
are  energy-power,  chemicals  and  iron  and  steel.  The 
metals  production  sector  also  accounts  for  a  significant 
proportion  of  both  hazardous  and  non-hazardous  waste 
generated  per  installation,  given  that  it  has  a  relatively 
small number of IED installations. 

82 Directive 2010/75/EU covers industrial activities carried out above 
certain thresholds. It covers energy industry, metal production, mineral 
and chemical industry and waste management, as well as a wide range 
of industrial and agricultural sectors (e.g. intensive rearing of pig and 
poultry, pulp and paper production, painting and cleaning). 
83 European Commission, Industrial emissions policy country profile – 
Hungary. 

19 

Figure 16: Emissions to air from IED sectors and all other 
national total air emissions, Hungary (2015) 

The enforcement approach under the IED creates strong 
rights for citizens to have access to relevant information 
and  to  participate  in  the  permitting  process  for  IED 
installations. This empowers NGOs and the general public 
to  ensure  that  permits  are  appropriately  granted  and 
their conditions respected. 

Best available techniques (BAT) reference documents and 
BAT conclusions are developed through the exchange of 
industrial 
information  between  Member 
associations,  NGOs  and  the  Commission.  This  ensures  a 
good  collaboration  with  stakeholders  and  a  better 
application of the IED rules. 

States, 

Thanks  to  the  national  competent  authorities’  efforts  to 
apply the legally binding BAT conclusions and associated 
BAT  emission  levels  in  environmental  permits,  pollution 
had decreased considerably and continuously in the EU. 

For  example,  by  applying  the  recently  adopted  BAT 
associated  emission  levels  for  large  combustion  plants, 
emissions  of  sulphur  dioxide  will  be  cut  on  average  by 
between 25 % and 81 %, nitrogen oxide by between 8 % 
and  56 %,  dust  by  between  31 %  and  78 %  and  mercury 
by between 19 % and 71 % at EU level. The extent of the 
reduction  depends  on  the  situation 
individual 
plants.The  challenges 
identified  for  Hungary  are  to 
address  the  pollution  resulting  from  metal  production 
and from the high amount of intensive rearing of poultry 
or pigs.  

in 

2019 priority actions 

  Review  permits  and 

strengthen  control  and 
enforcement  to  comply  with  newly  adopted  BAT 
conclusions. 

  Address air and water pollution related to emissions 
from  installations  in  one  or  more  of  the  following 
sectors: power, intensive rearing of poultry and pigs, 
waste  treatment  activities,  iron  and  steel  plants. 

 
                                                                 
 
 
 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Noise 
The  Environmental  Noise  Directive84  provides  for  a 
common  approach  to  avoiding,  preventing  and  reducing 
the harmful effects of exposure to environmental noise. 

Excessive noise from aircraft, railways and roads is one of 
the  main  causes  of  environmental  health-related  issues 
in the EU85. 
Based  on  a  limited  set  of  data86,  environmental  noise 
causes at least 300 premature deaths per year in Hungary 
and is responsible  for around 1 300 hospital admissions. 
Noise also disturbs the sleep of roughly 200 000 people. 
The  Environmental  Noise  Directive  is  being  correctly 
implemented  for  the  most  part,  according  to  the  latest 
full  set  of  information  that  could  be  analysed  (2012  for 
noise  maps  and  2013  for  action  plans).  However,  as 
Budapest’s noise map and action plan are still lacking, the 
capital  city  has  not  met  its  obligations  arising  from  the 
Directive. 

These  instruments,  adopted  after  a  public  consultation 
had  been  carried  out,  should  include  the  measures  to 
keep noise low or to reduce it.  

Water quality and management 

EU  legislation  and  policy  requires  that  the  impact  of 
pressures  on  transitional,  coastal  and  fresh  waters 
(including  surface  and  ground  waters)  be  significantly 
reduced.  Achieving,  maintaining  or  enhancing  a  good 
status  of  water  bodies  as  defined  by  the  Water 
Framework  Directive  (WFD)  will  ensure  that  EU  citizens 
benefit  from  good quality and safe drinking and bathing 
water.  It  will  further  ensure  that  the  nutrient  cycle 
(nitrogen  and  phosphorus) 
in  a  more 
sustainable and resource-efficient way.  

is  managed 

The  existing  EU  water  legislation87  puts  in  place  a 
protective  framework  to  ensure  high  standards  for  all 
water  bodies  in  the  EU  and  addresses  specific  pollution 
sources  (for  example,  from  agriculture,  urban  areas  and 
industrial  activities).  It  also  requires  that  the  projected 
into  the 
impacts  of  climate  change  are 
risk 
corresponding  planning 

instruments  e.g. flood 

integrated 

84 Directive 2002/49/EC. 
85 WHO/JRC, 2011, Burden of disease from environmental noise, 
Fritschi, L., Brown, A.L., Kim, R., Schwela, D., Kephalopoulos, S. (eds), 
World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, 
Denmark. 
86 European Environment Agency, Noise Fact Sheets 2017. 
87 This includes the Bathing Waters Directive (2006/7/EC), the Urban 
Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) (on discharges of 
municipal and some industrial wastewaters), the Drinking Water 
Directive (98/83/EC) (on potable water quality), the Water Framework 
Directive (2000/60/EC) (on water resources management), the Nitrates 
Directive (91/676/EEC) and the Floods Directive (2007/60/EC). 

20 

management  plans  and  river  basin  management  plans, 
including  programme  of  measures  which  include  the 
actions  that  Member  States  plan  to  take  in  order  to 
achieve the environmental objectives. 

Water Framework Directive 

reported 

Framework  Directive  and 

Hungary  has  adopted  and 
the  second 
generation  of  River  Basin  Management  Plans  under  the 
the  European 
Water 
Commission  has  assessed 
the 
development  since  the  adoption  of  the  first  River  Basin 
Management  Plans,  including  suggested  actions  in  the 
EIR report 2017. 

status  and 

the 

of 

physical 

alteration 

The  most  significant  pressures  on  surface  water  bodies 
are 
channel/bed/riparian 
area/shore  due  to  agriculture  (41 %  of  surface  water 
bodies)  and  agriculture  diffuse  pollution  (36 %).  For 
groundwater  bodies  the  most  significant  pressure  is 
abstraction  or  flow  diversion  for  public  water  supply 
(78% of groundwater bodies), followed by discharges not 
connected to sewerage network (61 %). 

Altered habitats due to morphological changes were the 
most  significant  impacts  on  lakes  (43 %  of  lake  water 
bodies) and rivers (88 % of river water bodies). Chemical 
pollution  was  the  most  significant  impact  (17 %)  in 
groundwater bodies.  

The proportion of water bodies with unknown ecological 
status/potential  has  decreased  significantly  (from  40 % 
to  13 %)  but  there  is  a  big  difference  between  the 
proportion of unknown lakes (up to 47 % unknowns) and 
rivers,  of  which  only  9 %  are  unknown.  Only  a  small 
proportion (less than 10 %) of Hungarian rivers and lakes 
are in good ecological status/potential, and only two lake 
and  four  river  water  bodies  are  at  high  status  as 
illustrated  in  figure  17.  This  shows  that  Hungary  has  a 
long  way  to  go  to  achieve  the  good  status/potential 
objectives set in the Water Framework Directive. 

is  a  need  for  further  development 

The  scale  of  monitoring  has  increased  in  relation  to  the 
chemical  status  in  surface  water  bodies  although  there 
still 
including 
implementation  of  monitoring  of  sediment  and  biota. 
There  was  a  large  increase  in  the  proportion  of  surface 
water  bodies  with  good  chemical  status  from  3  to  46 % 
between  the  first  and  second  River  Basin  Management 
Plans  and  a  significant  decrease  in  the  proportion  with 
unknown status from 94 to 47 %.  

The  monitoring  situation  of  quantitative  status  of 
improved  slightly  but  the 
groundwater  bodies  has 
Groundwater  body  area  failing  good  status  increased 

                                                                 
 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

with 9 % (from 23.3 % to 25.5 % of the total groundwater 
body area). 

Figure 17: Ecological status or potential of surface water 
bodies in Hungary88 

of good quality and 2.7 % of sufficient quality (compared 
to  70.8 %,  11.5 %  and  1.2 %  respectively 
in  2016). 
However,  seven  bathing  waters  were  of  poor  quality91. 
Detailed  information  on  Hungary’s  bathing  waters  is 
available  on  a  national  web  portal 92  and  on  an 
interactive  map  viewer  designed  and  hosted  by  the 
European Environment Agency93. 
Figure 18: Bathing water quality 2014–2017 94 

Significant  pressures  are  identified  in  the  River  Basin 
Management Plans and addressed by measures (Key type 
of  measures).  Hungary  has  reported  that  all  planned 
measures  for  the  first  Programmes  of  Measures  have 
started.  There  are  still  obstacles 
in  order  to  fully 
implement  the  first  Programmes  of  Measures,  including 
delays, extreme events, governance and finance. 
The  national  water  strategy89  is  the  pillar  of  Hungary’s 
water, irrigation and drought management policy. It was 
revised  in  2017  to  integrate  agriculture  and  nature 
conservation  issues  into  water  resources  management, 
and to develop climate change adaptation measures. 

Drinking Water Directive 

For  drinking  water,  no  new  data  is  available  since  the 
2017 EIR90. However, the Commission is closely following 
up  on  instances  of  non-compliance  with  other  specific 
limits set out in the Directive (for example, arsenic, boron 
and fluoride levels) resulting from natural conditions in a 
number  of  water  supply  zones,  and  the  measures  taken 
to address these. 

Bathing Water Directive 

Figure  18  shows  that  in  2017,  out  of  Hungary’s  257 
bathing  waters,  70.8 %  were  of  excellent  quality,  13.2 % 

88 EEA, WISE dashboard. 
89 Nemzeti Vízstratégia — Kvassay Jenő Terv 
90 Compliance with the Drinking Water Directive microbiological and 
chemical parameters as last reported was very high. 

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive  

On  the  Urban  Waste  Water  Treatment  Directive, 
according  to  its  Accession  Treaty,  Hungary  has  a  final 
deadline  of  31 December  2015  to  reach  compliance. 
However, following an agreement between Hungary and 
Romania,  Hungary  decided  to  apply  Article  5(4)  of  the 
Directive,  in  connection  with  the  protection  against 
eutrophication  of  the  Black  Sea,  in  the  entirety  of  its 
territory.  The  requirements  regarding  more  stringent 
treatment  only  apply,  for  the  time  being,  in  the  three 
areas  designated  as  ‘sensitive’  in  2004.  The  Hungarian 
commitment by 2018 is that the minimum percentage of 
reduction  of  the  overall  load  entering  all  urban  waste 
water  treatment  plants  will  be  at  least  75 %  for  total 
phosphorus and at least 75 % for total nitrogen.  

the  Commission  has  checked  Hungary’s 
Although 
compliance with the Accession Treaty’s deadlines of 2008 
and  2010,  it  has  not  yet  checked  compliance  with  the 
2015 deadline. On this basis, the Commission found that 
a  few  agglomerations  did  not  comply  with  the  rules  set 
out in the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and it 
consequently  launched  an  infringement  procedure.  The 
reasons  for  the  infringement  procedure  include  the 

91 European Environment Agency, 2017. European bathing water quality 
in 2016, p. 17. 
92 Országos Közegészségügyi Intézet OKI  
93 State of bathing waters, EEA. 
94 European Environment Agency, 2018. European bathing water quality 
in 2017, p. 21. 

21 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

concern  that  Hungary  has  insufficient  connections  to 
collection  systems  despite  having  already  built  some 
systems.  Therefore,  Hungary  has  to  rely  extensively  on 
individual  systems 
for  which 
compliance  with  the  requirements  is  more  difficult  to 
guarantee. 

tanks,  etc.), 

(septic 

Regarding  Hungary’s  overall  compliance  with  the  Urban 
Waste  Water  Treatment  Directive95,  100 %  of  the  waste 
water  is  collected  or  addressed  by  individual  or  other 
appropriate  systems  (IAS),  of  which  95.2 %  undergoes 
secondary  treatment  and  92.2 %  undergoes  more 
stringent  treatment.  An  investment  of  around  EUR 107 
million96  is  needed  to  ensure  that  waste  water  in  the 
remaining  agglomerations 
is  properly  collected  and 
treated. 

Nitrates Directive 

The  Nitrates  Directive  report  for  2012-2015  showed  a 
slight  increase  in  nitrates  concentration  in  groundwater. 
The  percentage  of  stations  that  reached  or  exceeded 
40 mg  of  nitrate  per  litre  increased  from  8.2 %  to  8.7 % 
and  the  percentage  that  reached  or  exceeded  50  mg  of 
nitrate  per  litre  increased  from  6.9 %  to  7.1 %.  Nitrate 
concentrations in surface water are rather stable, except 
for  the  increase  in  number  of  stations  that  reached  or 
exceeded 25 or 40 mg of nitrate per litre. Challenges with 
the trophic status of water continued during this period, 
with a considerable number of freshwater stations with a 
eutrophic and potentially eutrophic status. 

Floods Directive 

The  Floods  Directive  established  a  framework  for  the 
assessment and management of flood risks, aiming at the 
reduction  of  the  adverse  consequences  associated  with 
significant floods. 

Hungary  has  adopted  and  reported  its  first  Flood  Risk 
Management Plans under the Directive and the European 
Commission conducted an assessment. 

The  Commission’s  assessment  found  that  good  efforts 
were made with positive results in setting objectives and 
devising  measures  focusing  on  prevention,  protection 
and  preparedness.  The  assessment  also  showed  that,  as 
was  the  case  for  other  Member  States,  Hungary’s  Flood 
Risk  Management  Plans  do  not  yet  include  a  strong  link 
between  the  objectives  and  the  measures  and  an  as 
complete as possible estimation of the cost of measures. 

In  addition,  there  is  scope  for  being  more  specific  on 
which  measures  will  be  implemented,  and  on  their 
prioritisation. 

2019 priority actions 

 

 

Step  up  efforts  to  assess  the  status  of  all  water 
bodies, increasing the confidence in the assessment 
of  status  and  reducing  the  proportion  of  unknown 
sufficient 
should  provide 
status.  Monitoring 
temporal resolution and spatial coverage. 
Take  steps  in  order  to  ensure  that  abstractions  are 
subject to effective permits, metering and controls. 
  Urgently  complete  implementation  of  the  Urban 
Waste  Water 
all 
agglomerations,  as  well  as  of  the  Drinking  Water 
Directive.  Continue  to  prioritise  the  investments  for 
UWWT plants. 
Take steps to clarify the method for the prioritisation 
of  measures,  including  the  assessment  of  costs  and 
benefits  in  relation  to  the  Flood  Risk  Management 
Plan. 

Treatment  Directive 

for 

 

Chemicals 

The  EU  seeks  to  ensure  that  by  2020  chemicals  are 
produced and used in ways that minimise any significant 
adverse  effects  on  human  health  and  the  environment. 
An  EU  strategy  for  a  non-toxic  environment  that  is 
conducive  to  innovation  and  to  developing  sustainable 
substitutes,  including  non-chemical  options,  is  being 
prepared. 

legislation97  provides  baseline 
The  EU’s  chemicals 
protection for human health and the environment. It also 
ensures  stability  and  predictability 
for  businesses 
operating within the internal market. 

(ECHA) 
In  2016,  the  European  Chemicals  Agency 
published  a  report  on  REACH  and  the  Classification, 
Labelling  and  Packaging  (CLP  Regulation)98  that  showed 
that  enforcement  activities  are  still  evolving.  Member 
States  cooperate  closely  within  Forum  for  Exchange  of 
Information  on  Enforcement99.  This  cooperation  has 
shown that there is scope to increase the effectiveness of 
enforcement  activities,  particularly 
registration 
obligations  and  safety  data  sheets  where  the  level  of 
non-compliance is still relatively high. 

for 

95 European Commission, Ninth Report on the Implementation Status 
and the Programmes for Implementation of the Urban Waste Water 
Treatment Directive (COM(2017)749) and Commission Staff Working 
Document accompanying the report (SWD(2017)445). 
96 A preliminary cost estimation made by the Ministry of Interior of 
Hungary, in order to fulfil the actions of the River Basin Management 
Plan 2, fixes the amount at 94 EUR million, but no official document is 
available thereon. 

97 Principally for chemicals: REACH (OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p.1.); for 
Classification, Labelling and Packaging, the CLP Regulation (: OJ L 252, 
31.12.2006, p.1.), together with legislation on biocidal products and 
plant protection products. 
98 European Chemicals Agency, Report on the Operation of REACH and 
CLP 2016. 
99 On the basis of the projects REF-1, REF-2 and REF-3, available at 
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) 

22 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

While progress has been made, there is room to further 
improve and harmonise enforcement activities across the 
EU,  including  controls  on  imported  goods.  Enforcement 
remains  weak 
in  some  Member  States,  particularly 
imports  and  supply  chain 
regarding  controls  on 
obligations.  The  enforcement  architecture  is  complex  in 
most  EU  countries  and  enforcement  projects  reveal 
differences in compliance between Member States. 

A  2015  Commission  study  already  emphasised  the 
importance  of  harmonised  market  surveillance  and 
enforcement  when  implementing  REACH  at  Member 
State  level,  deeming  it  to  be  a  critical  success  factor  in 
the operation of a harmonised single market100. 

In March 2018, the Commission published an evaluation 
of  REACH101.  The  evaluation  concludes  that  REACH 
delivers  on  its  objectives,  but  that  progress  made  is 
slower  than  anticipated.  In  addition,  the  registration 
dossiers often are incomplete. The evaluation underlines 
the need to enhance enforcement by all actors, including 
in  particular  for 
registrants,  downstream  users  and 
importers,  to  ensure  a  level  playing  field,  meet  the 
objectives  of  REACH  and  ensure  consistency  with  the 
actions envisaged to improve environmental compliance 
and  governance.  Consistent  reporting  of  Member  State 
enforcement activities  was considered  important  in that 
respect. 

In Hungary, the district offices’ public health departments 
that  work  for  government  offices  in  20  Counties  that 
report to the Prime Minister’s office, are responsible for 
the enforcement of the REACH/CLP/BPR Regulation. 

The work of the chemical safety inspectors is coordinated 
at regional level and supported by the Hungarian national 
competent authorities for REACH, the CLP Regulation and 
Biocides  working 
in  Hungary’s  Ministry  of  Human 
Capacities (EMMI). 

Company  visits  may  take  the  form  of  either  spot  checks 
or  targeted  checks.  If  companies  are  found  to  be  in 
breach  of  the  rules,  the  inspectors  can  take  a  binding 
decision  on  follow-up  measures  and/or  impose  a  fine 
(such  as  a  ‘chemical  load  penalty’)  on  the  companies 
concerned. 

Other authorities are responsible for some aspects of the 
chemical regulations. For example: (i) the environmental 
authorities are responsible for environmental protection; 
(ii)  the  Hungarian  Labour  Inspectorate  is  responsible  for 
occupational  safety;  (iii)  the  National  Authority  for 
for  protecting 
Consumer  Protection 
consumers; and (iv) the Hungarian Customs and Finance 
Guard is responsible for customs control. 

is  responsible 

100 European Commission. (2015). Monitoring the Impacts of REACH on 
Innovation, Competitiveness and SMEs.  
101 COM(2018) 116. 

Making cities more sustainable 

EU policy on the urban environment encourages cities to 
put  policies  in  place  for  sustainable  urban  planning  and 
design.  These  should  include  innovative  approaches  to 
urban  public 
sustainable 
buildings,  energy  efficiency  and  urban  biodiversity 
conservation. 

transport  and  mobility, 

Europe  can  be  seen  as  a  union  of  cities  and  towns. 
Around 75 % of the EU population live in urban areas102. 
Urban  areas  pose  particular  challenges 
the 
environment  and  human  health,  but  they  also  provide 
opportunities  for  using  resources  more  efficiently.  The 
EU encourages municipalities to become greener through 
initiatives such as the Green Capital Award103, the Green 
Leaf Award104 and the Green City Tool105. 

for 

Financing greener cities 

through 

implemented 

Hungary  is  investing  at  least  5 %  of  its  ERDF  allocation 
(EUR 537.84  million)  in  sustainable  urban  development 
measures 
its  Operational 
least  5 %  of  the  total  European 
Programmes.  At 
Agricultural  Fund 
(EAFRD) 
contribution  to  the  rural  development  programme, 
0.97 %  of  the  total  ERDF  contribution  and  1.04 %  of  the 
total  European  Social  Fund  allocation  are  reserved  for 
leader and community-led local development actions106. 

for  Rural  Development 

the 

participates 

European  Urban 
in 
Hungary 
Development Network (UDN)107. Of the UDN’s initiatives, 
the  ERDF  supports  urban  innovative  actions  to  test  new 
and  unproven  solutions  for  urban  challenges.  Hungary 
has obtained funding for the ‘SASMob  —  Smart  Alliance 
for  Sustainable  Mobility’  project  in  the  city  of  Szeged, 
Hungary’s third biggest city.108. 

Participation in EU urban initiatives and networks 

Hungary participates in a project for industrial symbiosis 
in the city of Pécs, which is on the list of European Green 
Capital Award good practices for 2019109. 

Eight  of  Hungary’s  municipalities  are  involved  in  16 
thematic  networks  under  the  URBACT 
initiative  to 
support sustainable urban development110. Four of these 
networks are currently led by Hungarian cities. Budapest 
manages  the  ‘Roma-Net’  and  ‘ROMA-NeT  URBACT  II’ 

102 European Commission, Urban Europe, 2016. 
103European Commission, European Green Capital. 
104 European Commission, European Green Leaf Award. 
105 European Commission, Green City Tool. 
106 European Commission: Summary of the Partnership Agreement for 
Hungary, 2014-2020. 
107 European Commission, The Urban Development Network. 
108 SASMob — Smart Alliance for Sustainable Mobility 
109 Pécs‐Kökény Waste Management Centre, Pécs, Hungary 
110 URBACT, Associated Networks by country. 

23 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

integration  of  Roma 
networks  that  focus  on  the 
populations.  Budapest  also  leads  the  ‘RE-Block’  network 
to  revive  high-rise  blocks  in  an  effort  to  build  cohesive 
and  green  neighbourhoods.  Finally,  the  city  of  Újbuda 
‘Creative  spirits’  network  to  boost 
coordinates  the 
entrepreneurship through creative urban strategies. 

(see Figure 19). 

Figure  19:  Proportion  of  Natura  2000  networks  in 
Functional Urban Areas (FUA)117 

Several  Horizon  2020  network  projects  have  also 
contributed  to  the  sustainability  of  Hungarian  cities. 
CIVITAS  includes  nine  municipalities  that  work  together 
to  achieve  cleaner  and  better  transport  in  cities111. 
INTERREG programmes also support urban development 
projects,  such  as  the  ‘Guardians  of  the  ‘smart  energy’ 
school’ initiative, which has created a series of education 
programmes and ‘smart energy’ tools112. 

Hungarian cities are also involved the Eurocities initiative 
and  40  Hungarian  cities  have  signed  up  to  the  EU 
Covenant of Mayors initiative as of June 2018113. 

In  2017,  15.6 %  of  the  Hungarian  population  living  in 
cities  said  that  their  neighbourhood  was  affected  by 
pollution,  grime  or  other  environmental  problems,  up 
from 14.2 % in 2016. These figures are far below the EU-
28 average (20 % in 2017 and 18.9 % in 2016)114.  

Hungary  has  been  the  host  to  a  number  of  ‘smart  city’ 
initiatives  and  test  projects  in  recent  years,  both  on  a 
municipal  and  national  level.  For  instance,  Budapest, 
Győr,  Miskolc  and  Szolnok  have  addressed  challenges  in 
e-mobility,  intelligent  transport  systems,  autonomous 
vehicles and energy efficiency115. 

Nature and cities 

Nearly  20 %  of  Hungary’s  Natura  2000  network  is  in 
functional urban areas116, above the EU average of 15 % 

111 European Commission, Horizon 2020 Civitas Project. 
112 Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme. 
113 Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, Country signatories. 
114 European Commission, Eurostat, Pollution, grime or other 
environmental problems by degree of urbanisation. 
115 Hungary — Smart Cities 
116 European Commission, Definition of Functional Urban Areas. 

The  national  ecological  network is  ‘the  backbone’  of 
green  infrastructure  in  Hungary.  The  network  covers 
different  areas  of  nature  conservation  importance,  such 
as  nature  protected  areas,  Natura  2000  areas  and  high 
nature  value  areas.  The  network’s  zone  is  integrated  in 
the municipal planning of settlements. 

In  2015,  Szeged  was  one  of  the  four  pilot  cities  of  the 
‘Nature4Cities’  project.  Nature4Cities  is  one  of  the  two 
research programmes  selected and funded by the EU to 
build a common ground for ‘nature-based solutions & re-
naturing  cities’,  through  the  H2020  research  and 
innovation programme118. 

The one-year ‘Smart and green — the future of Visegrad 
cities’ project which began in December 2016, focused on 
how  to  put  in  place  smart  and  innovative  solutions  in 
urban  areas,  while  increasing  the  cities’  resilience  to 
climate 
inequality  and  economic 
insecurity119. 

change, 

social 

the 

hosted 

Budapest 
green 
infrastructure  conference  in  November  2017,  where 
nature-based  solutions  for  cities  were  shared  and 
celebrated120. 

European 

urban 

Urban sprawl 

Hungary  had  a  high  weighted  urban  proliferation  with 
2.12  UPU/m2  in  2009,  slightly  above  the  European 
average (EU-28+EEA-4) of 1.64 UPU/m2, with an increase 
of 5 % from 2006 to 2009121122. 

Traffic congestion and urban mobility 

117 European Commission, the 7th Report on Economic, Social and 
Territorial Cohesion, 2017, p. 121. 
118 The Nature4Cities project 
119 'Smart and Green – the Future of Visegrad Cities' project 
120 EUGIC 2017 BUDAPEST, CELEBRATING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS 
FOR CITIES 
121 Urban Permeation Units measure the size of the built-up area as well 
as its degree of dispersion throughout the region. 
122 EEA, Urban Sprawl in Europe, Annex I, 2014, pp.4-5. 

24 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Traffic  congestion  is  one  of  the  main  environmental 
issues  affecting  Hungary’s  capital  city,  Budapest.  Traffic 
congestion is also responsible for the poor air quality. In 
2015,  the  government  adopted  the  Jedlik  Ányos  Plan123 
to increase the use of electric cars in Hungary. The plan 
includes  building  the  necessary  infrastructure  (charging 
stations),  providing  benefits  for  parking  and  road  use  of 
electric cars and financial support for buying them124.  

In 2015, passenger cars accounted for 65.8 % (EU average 
81.3 %)125 of passenger transport in Hungary. At 325 cars 
per  1000  inhabitants,  Hungary  ranked  second  lowest  in 
the EU (EU average 497 cars per 1000 inhabitants)126. For 
time  spent  every  year  in  traffic  jams,  Hungary  is  in  the 
mid-range of EU countries, at an average of 26.2 hours in 
2014 rising to an average of 26.41 hours in 2016127. 

With  a  congestion  level  of  22 %,  Budapest  is  only  the 
140th most congested city out of a list of 215 EU cities.  

Hungary has the EU’s lowest proportion of residents that 
use a car every day (24 % vs an EU average of 50 %) and 
the highest proportion that use public transport (28 % vs 
an EU average of 16 %). 25 % of people in Hungary cycle 
every day (EU average 12 %) and 74 % of people who live 
in cities walk every day (EU average 68 %)128. 

123 Jedlik Ányos Klaszter 
124 Legal and natural persons can apply for max. HUF 1.5 million non-
refundable allowance for buying purely electric passenger cars or max. 
3.5 tonnes electric vans. 
125 European Commission, Transport in the European Union Current 
Trends and Issues, 2018, p. 89. 
126 Eurostat, Energy, transport and environment indicators 2017, p. 95. 
127 European Commission, Hours spent in road congestion annually. 
128European Commission, Special Eurobarometer 406,Attitudes of 
Europeans towards urban mobility, pp.7-10. 

25 

 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Part II: Enabling framework: implementation tools 

4.  Green taxation, green public procurement, environmental 
funding and investments 

Green  taxation  and  environmentally  harmful 
subsidies 

incentives, 

Financial 
taxation  and  other  economic 
instruments  are  effective  and  efficient  ways  to  meet 
environmental  policy  objectives.  The  circular  economy 
action  plan  encourages  their  use.  Environmentally 
harmful  subsidies  are  monitored  in  the  context  of  the 
European  Semester  and  the  energy  union  governance 
process. 

Hungary’s  revenue 
from  environment-related  taxes 
remains higher than the EU average. Environmental taxes 
accounted  for  2.53 %  of  GDP  in  2017  (EU-28  average: 
2.4 %) (see Figure 20) and energy taxes for 1.91 % of GDP 
(EU average 1.84 %)129. In the same year, environmental 
tax revenues were 6.6 % of total revenues from taxes and 
social security contributions (EU average 5.97 %). 

The structure of taxation shows a share of revenues from 
labour  tax  in  total  tax  revenues  in  line  with  the  EU 
average,  with  46.1 %  in  2016,  while  the  implicit  tax 
burden  on  labour  was  41.6 % 130.  Consumption  taxes 
remained relatively high (40.2 %, 6th in EU28), pointing at 
limited  potential  for  shifting  taxes  from 
labour  to 
consumption and in particular to environmental ones. 

In  its  European  Semester  process,  the  Commission  has 
repeatedly  recommended  that  Hungary  modify 
its 
taxation  system.  The  2018  country  report  noted  that 
household energy consumption in Hungary is still exempt 
from  energy  tax  and  that  car  tax  receipts  had 
stagnated131. 

However,  there  are  some  examples  of  sound  fiscal 
measures  for  the  environment.  One  is  the  air  pollution 
load charge that was introduced in 2003 and has helped 
reduce  air  pollution 
in  some  areas  of  the 
country132. 

levels 

129 Eurostat, Environmental tax revenues, 2018. 
130 European Commission, Taxation Trends Report, 2017. 
131 European Commission, European Semester Country Report 2018, p. 
11. 
132 Institute for European Environmental Policy, Case Studies on 
Environmental Fiscal Reform, Air pollution load charge in Hungary. 

26 

Figure 20: Environmental tax revenues as % of GDP 
(2017)133 

Meanwhile,  fossil  fuel  subsidies  increased  in  the  past 
decade, mainly thanks to new tax exemptions for district 
heating  and  fuel  use  for  agriculture,  railways  and 
commercial purposes. Some subsidies remain in place for 
the  decommissioning  and  reorganisation  of  the  coal 
sector134. These budgetary transfers and subsidies added 
up  to  HUF  12  billion  in  2016,  and  the  tax  exemptions 
(both local and central governments included)  exceeded 
HUF 123 billion. 

Some  progress  has  been  made  on  reducing  the  ‘diesel 
differential’  (difference  in  the  price  of  diesel  versus 
petrol)  since  2005.  In  2016  there  was  still  a  9 %  gap 
between petrol and diesel tax rates, while in 2005 it was 
22 %  135.  Excise  tax  rates  levied  on  petrol  and  diesel  in 

133 Eurostat, Environmental tax revenues, 2018. 
134 OECD, Inventory of Support Measures for Fossil Fuels, 2018. 
135 European Environment Agency 2017, Environmental taxation and EU 
environmental policies, p. 27. 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

2016 slightly decreased in comparison with those in 2015 
(HUF 120 per litre for petrol and HUF 110.35 for diesel). 
The reduction was bigger for diesel than for petrol 136.Tax 
treatment  for  company  cars  is  a  cause  for  concern  in 
Hungary137.  Tax  subsidies  still  encourage  the  private  use 
of company cars138. Nevertheless, new preferential taxes 
for electric and hybrid company cars were introduced in 
2018139. 

CO2-based  motor  vehicle  taxes  are  not  in  place  in 
Hungary.  However,  in  accordance  with  EU  emission 
standards140,  vehicle  registration  tax 
is  based  on 
environmental protection considerations 

Incentives  to  encourage  people  to  buy  cars  with  lower 
CO2 emissions were common in 2016. These were linked 
to annual circulation taxes, road tolls, and congestion or 
low  emission  zone  charges  and  also  to  buying  cleaner 
vehicles. However, there are  no incentives connected to 
the  preferential  use  of  public  infrastructures141.  New 
least 
vehicles  bought 
environmentally  friendly  in  the  EU,  with  average  CO2 
emissions of 125.9 grams per kilometre (EU average 118 
grams in 2016)142.  

in  Hungary  are  among  the 

The use of alternative fuels in new passenger cars sold in 
Hungary  has  considerably  decreased  over  the  past  few 
years.  In  2016,  the  percentage  of  new  passenger  cars 
using  alternative  fuels  was  only  0.32 %.  This 
is  a 
significant decrease from 2013 when Hungary had one of 

136 European Commission, Taxes in Europe Database, 2018. 
137 European Commission, Taxation of commercial cars in Belgium, 
2017, p. 3. (NB: the document has been prepared for Belgium, but 
contains data also for the other Member States.). 
138 European Commission, European Semester Country Report 2018, p. 
11. 
139 FleetEurope, Major changes to company car taxation in Europe. 
140 ACEA, CO2 based motor vehicle taxes in Europe. 
141 European Environmental Agency, Appropriate taxes and incentives 
do affect purchases of new cars, 18 May 2018. 
142 European Environment Agency, Average CO2 emissions from new 
passenger cars sold in EU-28 Member States plus Norway, Iceland and 
Switzerland in 2016. 

the highest percentages of alternative fuel use in the EU 
(at 9.75 %)143. 

Green public procurement 

The  EU  green  public  procurement  policies  encourage 
Member  States  to  take  further  steps  to  apply  green 
procurement  criteria  to  at  least  50 %  of  public  tenders. 
The European Commission is helping to increase the use 
of  public  procurement  as  a  strategic  tool  to  support 
environmental protection. 

The purchasing power of public procurement amounts to 
around EUR 1.8 trillion in the EU (approximately  14 % of 
GDP).  A  substantial  proportion  of  this  money  goes  to 
sectors  with  a  high  environmental 
impact  such  as 
construction  or  transport.  Therefore,  green  public 
procurement  (GPP)  can  help  to  significantly  lower  the 
negative  impact  of  public  spending  on  the  environment 
and  can  help  support  sustainable  innovative  businesses. 
The Commission has proposed EU GPP criteria144. 

Hungary  has  not  yet  adopted  the  national  GPP  action 
plan. The new EU directives on public procurement have 
been transposed into national law and entered into force 
at the end of 2015. This national law refers to a separate 
government  decree  which  will  set  out  detailed  rules  on 
how 
other 
considerations,  into  public  procurement.  This  decree  is 
currently being drafted. 

sustainability, 

integrate 

among 

to 

According  to  the  figures  on  procurement  procedures 
above the national threshold and below the EU threshold 
that  were  launched  in  2015145,  Hungary’s  contracting 
authorities  used  environmental  aspects  in  9 %  of  their 
procedures, equivalent to 18 % of the monetary value. 

Act  CXLIII  of  2015  on  public  procurement  allows  public 
authorities  to  take  environmental  aspects  into  account 
during their public procurement procedures but does not 
make  doing  so  mandatory.  According  to  the  Hungarian 
Public Procurement Authority’s latest annual report, both 
the  numbers  and  values  of  green  public  procurements 
vary greatly from year to year. In 2016, the total value of 
such procurements was HUF 43.4 billion (around EUR 135 
million), which is the second lowest since 2012. Similarly, 

143 European Commission, Transport in the European Union Current 
Trends and Issues, 2018, pp.27-28. 
144 In the Communication ‘Public procurement for a better 
environment’ (COM (2008) 400) the Commission recommended the 
creation of a process for setting common GPP criteria. The basic 
concept of GPP relies on having clear, verifiable, justifiable and 
ambitious environmental criteria for products and services, based on a 
life-cycle approach and scientific evidence base. 
145 Fiche on GPP national action plan, June 2018. 

27 

 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

there were 613 green procurements in 2016, the lowest 
number since 2012146. 

Environmental funding and investments 

European  Structural  and  Investment  Fund  (ESIF)  rules 
oblige  Member  States  to  promote  environment  and 
climate  in  their  funding  strategies  and  programmes  for 
rural 
economic, 
development and maritime policy. 

social  and 

territorial 

cohesion, 

Achieving  sustainability  involves  mobilising  public  and 
private  financing  sources147.  Use  of  the  European 
Structural  and  Investment  Funds  (ESIFs)148  is  essential  if 
countries  are  to  achieve  their  environmental  goals  and 
integrate 
into  other  policy  areas.  Other 
instruments such as Horizon 2020, the LIFE programme149 
and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)150 
may also support the implementation and spread of good 
practices. 

these 

According  to  the  2017  Special  Eurobarometer  468  on 
attitudes of EU citizens towards the environment, 89 % of 
people  in  Hungary  support  greater  EU  investment  in 
environmental protection (EU28 average 85 %). 

European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 

Through  nine  national  and 
regional  programmes, 
Hungary  has  been  allocated  EUR 25  billion  from  ESIF 
funds  for  2014-2020.  This  means  that  with  its  national 
contribution  of  EUR 4.63  billion,  Hungary  has  a  total 
budget  of  EUR 29.63  billion  to  invest  in  various  areas, 
such as infrastructure networks for transport end energy, 
employment  measures, 
SME 
environmental  protection  measures,  the 
low-carbon 
economy,  research  and  innovation  and  social  inclusion 
and education151. 

competitiveness, 

For  2014-2020,  Hungary  has  been  allocated  EUR 21.9 
billion  in  total  cohesion  policy  funding.  Of  this,  EUR 15 
billion  goes  to  less  developed  regions  (Közép-Dunántúl, 
Nyugat-Dunántúl,  Dél-Dunántúl,  Észak-Magyarország, 
Észak-Alföld and Dél-Alföld) and EUR 463.7 million to one 

146 Annual Report to the National Assembly: On the activities of the 
Public Procurement Authority between 1 January and 31 December 
2016  
147 See, for example, Action plan on financing sustainable growth 
(COM(2018) 97).  
148 i.e. the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion 
Fund (CF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agricultural 
Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Maritime and 
Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The ERDF, the CF and the ESF are referred to as 
the ‘cohesion policy funds’. 
149 European Commission, LIFE programme. 
150 European Investment Bank, European Fund for Strategic 
Investments, 2016. 
151 European Commission, European Structural and Investment Funds 
(Country factsheet Hungary), 2017. 

more  developed  region  (Közép-Magyarország),  EUR 6 
billion  under  the  Cohesion  Fund,  EUR 361.8  million  on 
European territorial cooperation and EUR 49.8 million on 
the  youth  employment  initiative.  The  country  will  also 
receive  at  least  EUR  4.7  billion  in  ESF  funding.  An 
additional  EUR 3.45  billion  from  the  EAFRD  will  be 
invested  in  developing  Hungary’s  agricultural  sector  and 
its  rural  areas.  Hungary  will  also  receive  some  EUR 39 
million from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. 

Figure  21:  ESIF  2014-2020  –  EU  allocation  by  theme, 
Hungary (EUR billion)152 

Cohesion policy 

In  2014-2020,  Hungary  manages 
six  Operational 
Programmes  under  EU  cohesion  policy.  Of  these,  four 
programmes receive funding from the ERDF and the ESF, 
and two programmes receive funding from the ERDF and 
the Cohesion Fund. 

EUR 3 billion is expected to be invested in environmental 
protection  in  Hungary  in  2014-2020  —  13.9 %  of  the 
country’s  cohesion  policy  allocation.  Hungary 
is  co-
financing  the  shift  to  a  low-carbon  economy,  which 
entails  improving  energy  efficiency  in  buildings  and 
businesses,  managing  natural  resources  sustainably  and 
increasing the  share of renewable energy sources in the 
overall energy structure. A substantial proportion of ESIF 
will be devoted to upgrading Hungary’s infrastructure, in 
rail 
particular 
investments 
suburban 
connections). Further investment is needed in the waste 
and  water  sectors  to  ensure  Hungary  meets  the  EU 
environmental requirements. 

(including 
and 

transport  sector 

the 
to 

improve 

urban 

in 

152 European Commission, European Structural and Investment Funds 
Data By Country 

28 

                                                                 
                                                                 
 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

The  Environmental  and  Energy  Efficiency  Operational 
Programme  2014-2020  aims  to  support  sustainable 
growth  and  help  countries  achieve  the  Europe  2020 
targets.  It  should  improve  flood  protection,  provide 
better  waste  and  wastewater  management  services  and 
good  quality  drinking  water  to  more  residents  and  help 
protect  natural  habitats  and  species.  It  should  also 
improve  energy  efficiency  and 
increase  the  use  of 
renewable  energies.  The  Programme  has  five  main 
funding  priorities:  (i)  adaptation  to  climate  change 
impacts;  (ii)  development  of  water  supply,  wastewater 
disposal 
and  wastewater 
management; (iii) environmental remediation; (iv) nature 
and  wildlife  protection;  and  (v)  promoting  energy 
efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. 

cleaning,  waste 

and 

Rural development 

Hungary  is  a  rural  country  with  66.3 %  of  its  area 
classified  as  rural,  33.1 %  classified  as  intermediate  and 
only 0.6 % classified as urban. 46 % of the population live 
in  rural  areas.  Agricultural  land  covers  57 %  of  the 
country  and  forestry  covers  21 %.  Hungary’s  agricultural 
sector  is  not  typical  for  the  EU.  There  is  a  very  high 
proportion  of  arable  farming  (81 %  of  agricultural  land) 
and a low proportion of grassland (14.2 %). Hungary has 
very favourable agro-ecological conditions for agricultural 
production, indicating a significant growth potential. 

On  climate  change,  Hungary  is  frequently  faced  with 
major water imbalances because of droughts and floods. 
for  more  efficient  water 
There 
is  a  clear  need 
management.  Hungary  has  a 
limited  and  outdated 
irrigation system and only 2.4 % of the agricultural area is 
irrigated.  At  2.7 %,  organic  production  is  among  the 
lowest  in  the  EU.  Irrigation  development  is  currently  a 
government  priority  in  Hungary  for  which  a  dedicated 
strategy is under development aiming, among others, to 
increase  irrigated  area  and  thus  improve  agricultural 
production  making  it  more  sustainable  and  efficient.153 
The  country’s  main  environmental  challenges  in  this 
regard are to protect biodiversity, improve the quality of 
surface and ground water and tackle soil erosion. 

these 

address 

challenges,  Hungary’s 

To 
rural 
development programme (RDP) funds measures for all six 
of the rural development  priorities. There is a  particular 
focus on the following ones: (i) restoring, preserving and 
improving  agriculture  and 
(ii) 
improving  biodiversity,  including  Natura  2000  areas  and 
areas that are facing natural or other specific constraints; 

forestry  ecosystems; 

(iii)  encouraging  social  inclusion,  poverty  reduction  and 
economic development in rural areas; and (iv) promoting 
food  chain  organisations  and  risk  management 
in 
agriculture154. 

Under  the  priority  ‘restoring,  preserving  and  enhancing 
ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry’, Hungary 
targets  measures  to  territories  with  inland  water  and 
drought  problems  and  to  high  nature  values  areas. 
Around  11.5 %  of  agricultural  land  and  6.4 %  of  forests 
will  be  under  management  contracts 
to  support 
biodiversity  and  improve  water  and  soil  management. 
Around  26 %  of  the  allocated  EAFRD  funds  will  be  used 
for  using 
for  area-based  payments 
environment/climate-friendly 
management 
practices,  including  organic  farming,  to  areas  facing 
natural constraints and to Natura 2000 areas. 

farmers 

land 

to 

The  ‘resource  efficiency  and  climate’  priority  focuses  on 
energy  efficiency-related  investments  in  the  agriculture 
and  food  processing  sectors.  It  aims  to  support  2 600 
projects  and  improve  the  efficiency  of  existing  water 
management  systems  on  6 000  ha  of  agricultural  land. 
The  RDP  will  pursue  carbon  sequestration  mainly  by 
the 
supporting  afforestation,  agroforestry  systems, 
prevention  and  restoration  of  damage  to  forests,  the 
improvement  of  the  resilience  and  environmental  value 
of  forest  ecosystems  and  the  conservation  of  forests.  It 
will  also  encourage  environment  and  climate-friendly 
forest conservation services. Finally, the RDP will work on 
reducing  greenhouse  gas  and  ammonia  emissions  by 
investing in manure storage155. 

On integrating environmental concerns into the common 
agricultural policy (CAP), the two key areas are: (i) to use 
the  EAFRD  to  pay  for  environmental  land  management 
and  other  environmental  measures;  and  (ii)  to  ensure 
that the first pillar of the CAP is implemented effectively 
for  cross-compliance  and  first  pillar  ‘greening’156.  The 

153 According to the Hungarian authorities, as of November 2018, it is a 
planned project under the coordination of the General Directorate of 
Water Management financed by the Ministry of Interior of Hungary. 
There is no public document available. 

154 Green Infrastructure in Hungary 
155 European Commission: Factsheet on 2014-2020 Rural Development 
Programme of Hungary, 2015. 
156 Regulation (EU) No 994/2014. 

29 

 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

direct  payment  budget  in  Hungary  is  just  over  EUR 1.27 
billion  a  year,  which  is  roughly  the  same  as  the  last 
reference period, despite a general EU-level reduction of 
3.2 %. During recent years, direct payments have been an 
important  safety  net.  In  2014,  some  174 870  Hungarian 
farm  businesses  received  more  than  EUR 1.2  billion  in 
direct payments. Of these, 80.1 % received a payment of 
less than EUR 5 000157. 

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 

Hungary spends around EUR 51.8 million on the fisheries 
and the maritime sector. This includes an EU contribution 
of EUR 39 million158. As Hungary is a land-locked country, 
one  of  the  Fisheries  Operational  Programme's  main 
objectives  is  to  increase  sustainable  fish  production 
through  resource-efficient  and  competitive  aquaculture 
and  to  reduce  negative  environmental  impacts.  The 
programme  also  supports  measures  to  increase  fish 
consumption. Finally, funds go towards creating a better 
managed  system  of  fisheries  control  and  data  collection 
and  spreading  environmentally-friendly,  energy-efficient 
and  water-saving  technological  solutions.  Aquaculture-
providing  environmental  services  will  also  be  supported 
under the programme159. 

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 

In  2014-2017,  38  Hungarian  transport  projects  were 
selected  for  funding  under  the  CEF,  with  beneficiaries 
receiving  EUR 1.1  billion  of  the  total  EUR 1.3  billion 
investment.  Most  of  this  amount  finances  railway  line 
reconstructions (including the installation of an electronic 
train control system) in the vicinity of Budapest160. 

Horizon 2020 

Hungary  has  benefited  from  Horizon  2020  funding  since 
the programme started in 2014. As of January 2019, 304 
participants  have  been  granted  a  maximum  amount  of 
EUR 54.6 million for projects from the Societal Challenges 
work 
environmental 
issues161 162.  

dealing  with 

programmes 

In  addition  to  the  abovementioned  work  programmes, 
climate and biodiversity expenditure is present across the 
entire  Horizon  2020.  In  Hungary,  projects  accepted  for 
funding  in  all  Horizon  2020  working  programmes  until 
December  2018  included  EUR  36  million  destined  to 
climate  action  (16.4 %  of  the  total  Horizon  2020 
contribution  to  the  country)  and  EUR  8  million  for 
biodiversity-related  actions  (3.5 %  of  the  Horizon  2020 
contribution to the country)163. 

Several Horizon 2020 projects are under way in Hungary, 
including  one  to  reduce  air  pollution  caused  by  vehicles 
by  developing  innovative  brake-disc  materials,  novel 
brake-emission  capturing  systems  and  IT-based  smart 
strategies. Other projects aim to reduce congestion levels 
by developing IT systems to monitor, gather and analyse 
big data on transportation behaviours164. 

LIFE programme 

Since  its  launch  in  1992,  the  LIFE  programme  has  co-
financed  a  total  of  66  projects  in  Hungary.  Of  these,  37 
have  focused  on  nature  and  biodiversity  and  18  have 
focused  on  environment  and  resource  efficiency.  These 
LIFE  projects  have  received  an  investment  of  EUR 120 
million, of which  EUR 73 million was from the EU165. For 
2014-2017, the total cost of LIFE projects in Hungary was 
around EUR 20 million, of which the EU provided EUR 14 
million166. 

Completed  projects  under  LIFE’s  environment  and 
resource  efficiency  strand  cover  areas  such  as  waste 
management,  air  and  water  quality.  The  ‘INSECTLIFE’ 
project  to  develop  a  pest  management  tool  that 
distinguishes  between  pests  and  beneficial  insects  that 
live above-ground is still under way. 

10  Hungarian  projects  are  currently  ongoing  under  the 
LIFE nature and biodiversity strand. Some projects are to 
conserve and restore habitats and others aim to conserve 
species.  A  few  projects  focus  on  the  large-scale  grazing 
management  of  the  Steppe  lakes  in  Hortobágy  and  the 
conservation  of  imperial  eagles  by  managing  human-
eagle conflicts167. 

157 European Commission: CAP in your country, Hungary, 2017. 
158 European Commission, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in 
Hungary, 2015. 
159 European Commission, Summary of the Partnership agreement for 
Hungary, 2014, p. 2. 
160 European Commission CONNECTING EUROPE FACILITY (CEF) — 
Transport grants 2014-2017, Hungary 
161 European Commission own calculations based on CORDA (COmmon 
Research DAta Warehouse). A maximum grant amount is the maximum 
grant amount decided by the Commission. It normally corresponds to 
the requested grant, but it may be lower. 
162 i.e. (ii) Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine 
and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy; (iii) 
Secure, clean and efficient energy; (iv) Smart, green and integrated 
transport; and (v) Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and 
raw materials. 

163 European Commission own calculations based on CORDA (COmmon 
Research DAta Warehouse). 
164 European Commission, Research & Innovation performance and 
Horizon 2020 country participation; Success stories for Hungary, 2018. 
165 European Commission, LIFE in Hungary, 2017 
 Commission services based on data provided by EASME. 
166 Commission services based on data provided by EASME. 
167 European Commission, Horizon 2020 Country Profiles (Hungary), 
2018. 
167 European Commission, Research & Innovation performance and 
Horizon 2020 country participation; Success stories for Hungary, 2018 
167 European Commission, LIFE in Hungary, 2017. 

30 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

European Investment Bank 

In  2018  alone,  the  EIB  group  (the  European  Investment 
Bank  and  the  European 
loaned 
Hungarian  businesses  and  public  institutions  EUR 890.9 
million  (see  Figure  22)168.  Of  this,  EUR 167.5  million 
(19 %) went to environmental projects. 

Investment  Fund) 

Since  2013,  the  EIB  has  co-financed  several  projects  in 
the  urban  development,  water  and  sewerage  and  solid 
waste  management  sectors169.  According  to  a  survey  by 
the  EIB  on  priorities  for  public  investment  in  the  next  3 
years, the second most  popular  choice for investment  is 
transport infrastructure (15 %). However, the proportion 
of Hungarian firms that consider this as their key priority 
was only 23 %, well below the EU average170. 
Figure 22: EIB loans to Hungary in 2018171 

European Fund for Strategic Investments 

Hungary  is  making  better  use  of  the  EFSI.  As  of  January 
2019  the  EFSI  had  mobilised  around  EUR 545  million  in 
Hungary.  The  secondary  investment  triggered  by  those 
funds  is  expected  to  be  EUR  2.4  billion172.  However,  to 
date,  no  infrastructure  and  innovation  project  involving 
Hungary  has  been  approved.  Under  the  SME  category, 
seven  agreements  with  financial  intermediaries  have 
been  approved  so  far.  More  than  12 000  smaller 
companies or start-ups are expected to’ benefit from this 
support173. 

National environmental financing 

Hungary  spent  EUR 578.6  million  on  environmental 
protection  in  2016174.  27.7 %  of  these  payments  were 
allocated  to  waste  management  activities  (the  annual 
average percentage of environmental spending allocated 
to  waste  management  in  the  EU  is  49.7 %).  EUR 103.4 

168 EIB, Hungary and the EIB, 2018. 
169 EIB Financed projects 
170 EIB Investment Survey, Hungary, 2017, p. 7. 
171 EIB, Hungary and the EIB, 2018. 
172 EIB, EFSI project map. 
173 European Commission, European Semester Country Report for 
Hungary, 2018, p. 10. 
174 Eurostat, General Government Expenditure by function, 2018. 

million  was  allocated  to  wastewater  management  (18 % 
of  the  total)  and  EUR 198.8  million  was  allocated  to 
pollution  abatement  (34 %  of  the  total).  10.5 %  of 
environmental  spending  was  allocated  to  protecting 
(EUR 60.8  million). 
biodiversity  and  the 
Between 2012 and 2016, general government funding for 
environmental protection was EUR 5.8 billion175. 

landscape 

its  wetlands 

is  a  priority  for  Hungary. 
Conserving 
Therefore  regulations  on  wetland  conservation  are  also 
integrated  into  fish  and  water  management  legislation. 
Wetland conservation is also encouraged through various 
payment  schemes.  Nature  conservation  funds  provide 
project  opportunities  to  improve  habitats  directly.  In 
addition, 
and  Rural 
Development  Fund  for  water  protection  investments 
pertaining  to  climate  change  adaptation  and  agri-
environment  can  support  the  withdrawal  from  farmland 
use  and  the  creation  or  improvement  of  wetlands  in 
regularly flooded areas. 

European  Agricultural 

the 

As it has been mentioned through the report, one of the 
challenges  for  Hungary  is  to  ensure  that  environmental 
financing remains at an adequate level. Existent financial 
gaps in areas such as nature protection and water quality 
implementation  of  EU 
are  delaying 
environmental  law  and  policies.  Therefore,  ensuring 
financial  resources  to  reduce  the  implementation  gap 
should be considered as a priority for the country. 

the  correct 

2019 priority action 

 

Ensure  adequate  funding,  including  through  the 
mobilisation of investments and the use of EU funds, 
the  main  environmental  challenges 
to 
affecting the country. 

tackle 

175 Eurostat, General Government Expenditure by function, 2018. 

31 

 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

5. 

Strengthening environmental governance 

Information, public participation and access to 
justice 

Citizens  can  more  effectively  protect  the  environment  if 
they  can  rely  on  the  three  ‘pillars’  of  the  Aarhus 
Convention:  
(i) access to information;  
(ii) public participation in decision making; and  
(iii) access to justice in environmental matters.  

It is of crucial importance to public authorities, the public 
and  business  that  environmental  information  is  shared 
efficiently  and  effectively176.  Public  participation  allows 
authorities  to  make  decisions  that  take  public  concerns 
into account. Access to justice is a set of guarantees that 
allows  citizens  and  NGOs  to  use  national  courts  to 
protect the environment177. It includes the right to bring 
legal challenges (‘legal standing’)178. 

Environmental information 

Hungary has a dedicated national information system on 
the  environment179  that  covers  almost  all  environment 
is  easy  to  navigate  and  clearly 
areas.  The  portal 
structured. It includes a data viewer and query interface 
to  search  and  download  data.  This  website  is  hosted  by 
the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  has  the  Ministry’s 
recognisable  design.  While  environmental  data  and 
information on legislation is accessible, some reports and 
studies  are  missing  and  there  is  no  information  on 
chemicals.  Moreover,  the  national  INSPIRE  portal  is  not 
integrated in the national information system. 

room 

implementation  of  the 
improvement. 

INSPIRE  Directive 
Hungary’s 
leaves 
country’s 
performance  has  been  reviewed  based  on  its  2016 
implementation report180 and its most recent monitoring 
data  from  2017181.  Hungary  made  good  progress  on 

The 

for 

176 The Aarhus Convention, the Access to Environmental Information 
Directive, 2003/4/EC and the INSPIRE Directive, 2007/2 together create 
a legal foundation for the sharing of environmental information 
between public authorities and with the public. This EIR focuses on 
INSPIRE. 
177 The guarantees are explained in Commission Notice on access to 
justice in environmental matters, OJL 275, 18.8.2017 and a related 
Citizen’s Guide. 
178 This EIR looks at how well Member States explain access to justice 
rights to the public, and at legal standing and other major barriers to 
bringing cases on nature and air pollution. 
179 National Environmental Information System. 
180 INSPIRE EL country sheet 2017. 
181 INSPIRE monitoring dashboard. 

dataset identification and data documentation. However, 
it needs to make more effort to make the data accessible 
through  services.  Hungary  also  needs  to  make  more 
in  the 
effort  to  prioritise  environmental  datasets 
implementation  of 
In 
particular,  it  needs  to  prioritise  datasets  identified  as 
high-value spatial datasets182.  

environmental 

legislation. 

Figure  23:  Access  to  spatial  data  through  view  and 
download services in Hungary (2017) 

Public participation 

(i) 

laid  down 

in  person  or 

the  governing  principles 

local  governments.  The  EPA 

for  public 
In  Hungary, 
participation  are 
in  the  Environmental 
Protection  Act  (EPA)  183  that  gives  everyone  the  right  to 
participate in environment-related procedures. This right 
through  a 
can  be  exercised: 
representative;  (ii)  through  social  organisations;  or  (iii) 
through  municipal 
is 
complemented  by  specific  decrees  and  acts  in  different 
sectors.  However,  sector-specific  legislation  tends  to 
follow  different  approaches  when  it  comes  to  public 
participation  (e.g.  whether  or  not 
legal  standing  is 
required  to  comment).  Two  factors  are  known  to  limit 
to  exclude 
(i)  a 
public  participation: 
participation  by  multiple 
groups 
(overlooking  the  fact  that  projects  develop  within  a 
tiered  planning  and  permitting  procedure);  and  (ii)  the 
fact that administration procedures are  streamlined and 
accelerated184.  

tendency 
individuals  or 

182 List of high value spatial data sets. 
183 Chapter 8 of Act LIII of 1995 on the General Rules of Environmental 
Protection. 
184 Environmental Democracy Index 

32 

 
 
                                                                 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

The Eurobarometer  figures  from 2017  show that people 
in Hungary agree strongly  (80 % of respondents) that an 
individual can play a role in protecting the environment. 
This is an improvement compared to 2014. 

Access to justice 

Other  than  general  information  on  access  to  justice 
published  on  the  central  website  of  the  Hungarian 
judiciary, the Hungarian authorities do not provide clear, 
user-friendly practical information online on how to bring 
environmental challenges to court. 

In  2017,  Hungary  adopted  new  rules  on  legal  standing, 
including  for  civic  associations.  The  new  rules  are  more 
liberal than the previous ones (being less tied to the right 
to 
procedures). 
Furthermore,  environmental  NGOs  are  recognised  as 
environmental  litigants  in  most  cases.  Requests  to  bring 
nature cases before the court are likely to be granted. 

administrative 

participate 

in 

2019 priority actions 

 

 

 

for 

the 

required 

Improve  access  to  spatial  data  and  services  by 
making  stronger 
linkages  between  the  country 
INSPIRE  portals,  identify  and  document  all  spatial 
implementation  of 
datasets 
environmental 
the  data  and 
law,  and  make 
documentation  at  least  accessible  'as  is'  to  other 
public  authorities  and  the  public  through  the  digital 
services foreseen in the INSPIRE Directive. 
Facilitate  public  participation  in  relation  with  the 
implementation of EU legislation on environment. 
Ensure that there is legal standing for environmental 
NGOs  to  bring  legal  challenges  on  environmental 
issues,  where  relevant  without  facing  prohibitive 
costs.  

Compliance assurance 

to  ensure 

Environmental compliance assurance covers all the work 
undertaken  by  public  authorities 
that 
industries,  farmers  and  others  fulfil  their  obligations  to 
protect  water,  air  and  nature,  and  manage  waste185.  It 
includes  support  measures  provided  by  the  authorities, 
such as:  
(i) compliance promotion186;  
(ii) inspections and other checks that they carry out, i.e. 
compliance monitoring187; and  
(iii)  the  steps  that  they  take  to  stop  breaches,  impose 
sanctions  and  require  damage  to  be  remedied,  i.e. 
enforcement188.  
Citizen  science  and  complaints  enable  authorities  to 
liability189 
focus  their  efforts  better.  Environmental 
ensures that the polluter pays to remedy any damage. 

Compliance promotion and monitoring 

is  an 

information 

Online information is given to farmers on how to comply 
with  obligations  on  nitrates  and  nature.  The  quality  of 
this 
indicator  of  how  actively 
authorities  promote  compliance  in  areas  with  serious 
implementation  gaps.  The  Hungarian  Chamber  of 
Agriculture’s  website  provides  user-friendly  handbooks 
on  topics  such  as  cross-compliance190  and  the  Nitrates 
Directive191.  These  handbooks  explain  the  relevant 
regulations in an easily understandable way and provide 
case studies. 

industrial 

Major 
installations  can  present  a  serious 
pollution  risk.  Public  authorities  are  required  to  have 
plans  to 
installations  and  to  make 
individual  inspection  reports  available  to  the  public192. 
Hungary  publishes  yearly  inspection  plans  and  annual 
reports on the results of inspections193. 

inspect  these 

185 The concept is explained in detail in the Communication on ‘EU 
actions to improve environmental compliance and governance’ 
COM(2018)10 and the related Commission Staff Working Document, 
SWD(2018)10. 
186 This EIR focuses on the help given to farmers to comply with nature 
and nitrates legislation. 
187 This EIR focuses on inspections of major industrial installations. 
188This EIR focuses on the availability of enforcement data and co-
ordination between authorities to tackle environmental crime. 
189 The Environmental Liability Directive, 2004/35, creates the 
framework. 
190 Nemzeti Agrárgazdasági Kamara 
191 Nitrát gazdálkodói kézikönyv, 2015   
192 Article 23, Directive, 2010/75/EU. 
193 These documents are available on the www.kormanyhivatal.hu 
website, under the "Dokumentumok" title, using the "Vizsgálatok, 
ellenőrzések" filter. The documents can be searched by year (2015-16-
17-18) and by name of County Government Offices. 

33 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

Citizen science and complaint handling 

Engaging  the  general  public  through  citizen  science  can 
deepen knowledge about  the environment  and help the 
authorities in their work. 

The availability of clear online information about how to 
make  a  complaint  is  an  indicator  of  how  responsive 
authorities are to complaints from the public. In general, 
in  Hungary  do  not  provide  clear 
official  websites 
information. 

Enforcement 

When  monitoring 
identifies  problems,  a  range  of 
responses  may  be  appropriate.  The  website  of  the 
Hungarian  police  provides  statistics  on  combating 
crime194.  However, 
the  Hungarian 
environmental 
authorities  do  not  publish 
the 
administrative  follow-up  of  detected  cases  of  non-
compliance  and,  apart  from  general  information  on  the 
most  common  infringement  issues  and  the  method  of 
calculating  fines,  there  is  no  published  information  on 
responses  to  cross-compliance  breaches  on  nitrates  and 
nature. 

information  on 

is  especially  challenging. 

Tackling  waste,  wildlife  crimes  and  other  environmental 
offences 
It  requires  close 
cooperation  and  coordination  arrangements  between 
inspectors,  customs  authorities,  police  and  prosecutors. 
Despite some references to cooperation on the website, 
there is an absence of clear information on the practical 
cooperation  and  coordination  arrangements  between 
these bodies. 

Environmental liability 

The  Environmental  Liability  Directive  (ELD)  establishes  a 
framework  based  on  the  ‘polluter  pays’  principle  to 
prevent  and  remedy  environmental  damage.  The  2017 
EIR 
information  on 
environmental  damage,  on 
financial  security  and 
guidance.  The  Commission  is  still  collecting  evidence  on 
the progress made. 

focused  on  gathering  better 

2019 priority actions 

  Better 

inform 

the  public  about 

compliance 

 

 

information  on  how  professionals 

promotion, monitoring and enforcement. 
Ensure  more 
dealing with environmental crime work together. 
Improve  financial  security  for  liabilities  and  ELD-
guidance  and  publish  information  on  environmental 
damage. 

194 Rendőrség, bűnügyi statisztikák 

Effectiveness of environmental 
administrations 

in 

involved 

implementing 

Those 
environmental 
legislation at EU, national, regional and local levels need 
to have the knowledge, tools and capacity to ensure that 
the  legislation  and  the  governance  of  the  enforcement 
process bring about the intended benefits. 

Administrative capacity and quality 

Hungary’s  scored  65.01 
in  the  2018  Environmental 
Performance Index, ranking it 43 out of 180 countries195. 
It scored 5.0 on the Bertelsmann Sustainable Governance 
Index  for  executive  capacity  and  4.8  for  executive 
accountability (both are below the EU-28 averages of 6.1 
and 6.3, respectively). 196 

from 

ensure 

experts 

national 

effective 

governance, 
To 
environmental 
environmental  authorities  must  have 
skilled  and 
knowledgeable  staff.  In  2017,  the  Commission  launched 
the TAIEX-EIR Peer 2 Peer tool to facilitate peer learning 
between 
environmental 
authorities.  Hungary  has  made  use  of  this  tool  for  the 
circular economy and for air  quality (see Chapters 1 and 
3). 
Hungary’s  Act  on  Legislation197  sets  rules  for  impact 
assessments  on  all  draft  bills,  government  decrees  and 
municipal regulations198. These impact assessments cover 
the potential social, economic, budgetary, environmental 
and health implications of new regulations as well as the 
potential administrative burden. They should also include 
a cost-benefit analysis. While each Ministry is responsible 
for  its  own  impact  assessments,  they  and  their  backing 
organisations199 coordinate closely. 

Concerning  cooperation  with  stakeholders  specifically, 
Hungarian  NGOs  report200  a  number  of  recent  setbacks, 
including: 

  A  sharp  decrease  in  NGOs’  participation  (both  the 
extent and quality) in decision-making in the national 
meeting  of  environmental  and  nature  conservation 
organisations and in the Coordination Council. 

195 Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, 2018 Environmental 
Performance Index, Yale University, 2018, p.4. 
196 Bertelmann Stiftung, Sustainable Governance Indicators, executive 
capacity and executive accountability, 2017.  
197 2010. évi CXXX. törvény a jogalkotásról 2010, s. 5, p. 17 
198 12/2016. (IV. 29.) MvM rendelet az előzetes és utólagos 
hatásvizsgálatról 2016, s. 2, p. 3-5  
199 Institute for European Environmental Policy: Development of an 
assessment framework on environmental governance in the EU 
Member States; country factsheet Hungary, p. 51.  
200 Institute for European Environmental Policy: Development of an 
assessment framework on environmental governance in the EU 
Member States; country factsheet Hungary. 

34 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

  Relevant  bodies/committees  no  longer  have  NGO 
representatives  or  have  lower  NGO  representation 
(for  example  the  National  Economic  and  Social 
Council and the National Forest Council). 

  Lack of sufficient  influence by NGOs (e.g. in the case 
of  some  Operational  Programmes)  even  when  they 
are involved in the process. 

  An  excessively  short  period  for  NGOs  to  comment 
(e.g.  in  the  case  of  the  2nd  (revised)  river  basin 
management plan). 

  Lack  of  cooperation  by  the  decision-makers  which 
makes  any  meaningful  discussion  impossible  (e.g.  in 
the case of the nuclear roundtable). 

Coordination and integration 

environmental 

As  mentioned  in  the  2017  EIR,  the  transposition  of  the 
revised 
(EIA) 
Directive201  provides  an  opportunity  for  countries  to 
streamline their regulatory framework on environmental 
assessments.  Hungary  transposed  the  Directive  by  the 
deadline of May 2017.  

assessment 

impact 

in  environmental  assessments 

The  Commission  encourages  the  streamlining  of  the 
environmental  assessments  to  reduce  duplication  and 
for 
avoid  overlaps 
projects.  Streamlining  helps  to  reduce  unnecessary 
administrative  burden. 
It  also  accelerates  decision-
making  without  compromising  the  quality  of  the 
environmental  assessment  procedure202.  Hungary  has 
streamlined  environmental  assessments  under  the  EIA 
Directive, 
the  Water 
Framework Directive and maintained the streamlining of 
environmental  assessments  under  EIA  and  IED  (IPPC), 
which was introduced in 2005. 

the  Habitats  Directive  and 

The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  is  primarily  responsible  for 
environmental  issues  and  the  implementation  of  EU 
environmental legislation. Within the Ministry, the State 
Secretariat  for  Environmental  Affairs 
is  the  central 
governing  body  for  environment  (air  quality,  noise,  soil 
protection)  and  nature  protection.  The  Secretariat 
the  sectoral,  expert  management  and 
undertakes 
regulatory 
Interior  bears 
tasks.  The  Ministry  of 
responsibility for the implementation of water protection 
and  of  water  management.  Energy  and  climate  policy, 
sustainable  development,  waste  management  and 
matters  related  to  EU  co-financing  are  under  the 
responsibility  of  the  new  Ministry  for  Innovation  and 

201 Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of 
the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. 
202 The Commission issued a guidance document in 2016 regarding the 
setting up of coordinated and/or joint procedures that are 
simultaneously subject to assessments under the EIA Directive, Habitats 
Directive, Water Framework Directive, and the Industrial Emissions 
Directive, OJ C 273, 27.7.2016, p. 1. 

Technology.  The  Ministry  of  Human  Capacities  and  the 
Ministry  of  Finance  also  have  responsibility  in  some 
environment-related affairs. 

There have been several recent structural changes in the 
organisation  and  division  of 
tasks  of  Hungary’s 
environmental  authorities.  Until  31 March  2015, 
inspections on environment and nature were carried out 
by the regional authorities responsible for the protection 
of  the  environment  and  nature 
(they  were  also 
responsible  for  water  protection  until  10 September 
2014 – afterwards it has become the responsibility of the 
12  disaster  management  directorates,  and  at  second 
instance of the National Directorate General for Disaster 
Management under the Ministry of Interior). As of 1 April 
2015  these  tasks  were  given  to  the  government  offices 
(the  government’s  regional  administrative  bodies)  that 
were set up in January 2011. At regional level, there are 
19  county  government  offices  (CGOs).  One  in  each 
County and one in Budapest. Administratively, the CGOs 
work  under  the  Minister  heading  the  Prime  Minister’s 
office. As of 1 January 2017, the CGOs’ environment and 
nature  protection  administration  tasks  were  transferred 
to the district offices located in the county capital town. 
These  district  offices  are  now  the 
instance 
authorities  responsible  for  issuing  permits  for  certain 
activities,  for  giving  authoritative  opinions  and  for 
carrying out inspections.  

first 

for 

the 

Until  the  end  of  2016,  the  secondary  authority 
responsible 
implementation  of  national 
environmental  protection  legislation  was  the  National 
Inspectorate  for  the  Environment  and  Nature.  However, 
on 1 January 2017 the National Inspectorate was merged 
into  the  Pest  County  government  office,  with 
its 
competencies transferred to the Environment and Nature 
Protection Department. 

in  Hungarian  environmental 
frequent  changes 
The 
administration,  with,  as  the 
in  2018,  a 
substantial reduction of staff dealing with environmental 
affairs in the Ministry of Agriculture, give rise to concerns 
and  triggers  close  monitoring  by  the  Commission  of  the 
country's environmental performance. 

latest  step 

Adaptability, reform dynamics and innovation 
(eGovernment) 

According  to  Europe’s  Digital  Progress  Report  2017, 
Hungary  scored  0.35/1  for  digital  public  services  (EU-28 
average  0.55/1)203.  At  4.0,  Hungary’s  sustainable 
governance  indicator  score  which  measures  domestic 
adaptability  was  well  below  the  EU  average.  This 
relatively  low  score  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the 
EUPACK  study  that  describes  the  Hungarian  policy  style 

203 European Commission, Europe's Digital Progress Report (EDPR) 2017 
Country Profile Hungary, p. 9. 

35 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

‘top-down’  and 

as 
administrative consultations204. 

‘minimally  political’  and  by 

In the DESI Report 2018, Hungary had a score of 40 out of 
100 on digital public services, lower than the EU average 
of 58205. 

Enabling financing and effective use of funds 

As mentioned in Chapter 4, Hungary has used 93 % of its 
EU  funding  from  the  2007-2013  period.  Appropriate 
administrative capacity has a crucial role in this regard. 

the 

Awareness  about  available  EU  funding  is  an  essential 
factor  in  being  able  to  benefit  from  it.  Calls  for  tender 
under 
funding  Operational  Programmes  are 
announced  on  a  centralised  website206.  Information  on 
this  and  other  relevant  funding  opportunities  are  also 
available  on  the  government’s  official  website  where 
people  can  search  for  tenders  by  the  responsible 
Ministry207. 

While  there  is  no  specific  national  environment  fund, 
several 
local  municipalities  have  set  one  up.  Local 
municipalities  receive  financial  rewards  for  setting  up 
environmental/nature  conservation  funds.  For  example, 
they  can  keep  the  income  from  nature  conservation 
penalties applied by local officials as well as a part of the 
environmental load charges and utilisation contributions, 
which otherwise go into the central budget208. 

2019 priority action 

  Hungary 

can 

further 

overall 
environmental  governance  (such  as  transparency, 
citizen  engagement,  compliance  and  enforcement, 
as well as administrative capacity and coordination). 

improve 

its 

International agreements 

The  EU  Treaties  require  the  EU  environmental  policy  to 
promote  measures  at  international  level  to  deal  with 
regional or worldwide environmental problems. 

The EU is committed to strengthening environmental law 
and its implementation globally. It therefore continues to 
support  the  Global  Pact  for  the  Environment  process, 
which  was  launched  by  the  United  Nations  General 
Assembly  in  May  2018209.  The  EIR  is  one  of  the  tools  to 

ensure  that  the  Member  States  set  a  good  example  by 
respecting  European  Union  environmental  policies  and 
laws and international agreements.  

Hungary is one of the EU’s top countries for signing and 
ratifying such international agreements. 

Forests: EU Timber Regulation (EUTR)210/ Forest Law 
Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) 
Regulation211 

Between  March  2015  and  February  2017,  Hungary 
carried out 3965 checks on operators of domestic timber, 
many  more  than  were  planned  for  this  period212. 
However, for operators importing timber, Hungary could 
only carry out 42 % of the 60 checks that were planned. 
The  number  of  checks  is  quite  low  compared  with  the 
estimated  number  of  Hungarian  operators  who  placed 
either  domestic  or  imported  timber  on  the  EU  market 
during this period213. 

Several  Hungarian  operators  have  had  their  trade 
suspended  because  of  infringements  relating  to  their 
EUTR  obligations.  Others  have  been  instructed  to  take 
remedial action and have received penalties214. 

Hungary  reports  to  have  collaborated  with  various 
government  institutions  and  authorities  in  other  EU 
countries.  For  example, 
in  the 
FLEGT/EUTR  expert  group  meetings  and  the  ad  hoc 
expert group on FLEGT. Hungary is also taking part in the 
Mediterranean network on EUTR implementation. 

it  has  participated 

Genetic resources: Nagoya Protocol on Access to 
Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of 
Benefits Arising (ABS)215  

Hungary  has  identified  its  competent  authorities  for 
genetic  resources  but  has  not  yet  adopted  the  formal 
designation act. Furthermore, it has not yet  set  rules on 
penalties.  Therefore,  the  Commission 
launched  an 
infringement procedure in January 2018. 

204 Hajnal, Gy. (2017) Public administration characteristics in Hungary. 
205 European Commission, Digital Economy and Society Index Report 
2018, Digital Public Services. 
206 Government of Hungary. 
207 Hungarian Government  
208 Institute for European Environmental Policy: Development of an 
assessment framework on environmental governance in the EU 
Member States; country factsheet Hungary, p. 48.  
209 UN General Assembly Resolution 72/277 and Organizational session 
of the ad hoc open-ended working group.  

210 Regulation (EU) No 995/2010. 
211 Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005. 
212 Hungary had planned to perform 2010 checks on operators of 
domestic timber. 
213 On the basis of customs data, it was estimated that 46 700 
Hungarian operators placed domestic timber on the EU market, and 
2674 imported timber. 
214 48 operators of domestic timber and 28 operators importing timber 
either have been compelled to suspend trade or received remedial 
actions. 
215 Regulation (EU) No 511/2014. 

36 

                                                                 
                                                                 
Environmental Implementation Review 2019 – Hungary 

After  adopting  its  sustainable  development  framework, 
Hungary set up a coordination mechanism. All Ministries 
concerned  are  involved  in  this  mechanism  and  the 
Ministry  of  Foreign  Affairs  and  Trade  is  responsible  for 
ensuring implementation. To submit Hungary’s voluntary 
national  review  to  the  UN  in  2018,  the  government 
created a multi-stakeholder platform in 2017 to improve 
policy  coherence  for  sustainable  development  and  to 
implementation  of  the  2030 
oversee  the  national 
Agenda.  Hungary’s  central  statistics  office  is  responsible 
for the follow-up and review of the SDGs and has actively 
encouraged  their  achievement  at  national  and  global 
level. According to the office’s records, 75 % of the global 
SDG indicators are available in Hungary219. 
The national Council for sustainable development220 and 
the  central  statistics  office221  each  publish  a  progress 
report every 2 years. 

International wildlife trade: the Convention on 
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora (CITES)216 

In  line  with  the  obligations  laid  down  in  the  Basic 
Regulation217,  which  transposes  the  major  obligations  of 
the  Convention  on  International  Trade  in  Endangered 
Species  of  Wild  Fauna  and  Flora  (CITES)  into  EU  law, 
Hungary has established relevant national authorities and 
regularly  processes  requests  for  import,  re-export  and 
intra-EU trade documents. 

Reports  on  seizures  of  illegal  wildlife  shipments,  (in 
particular  those  reported  every  6  months  to  TRAFFIC 
under  its  contract  with  the  Commission  and  those 
exchanged  through  the  EU-TWIX  platform),  show  the 
extent of the customs authorities’ activity. 

contributed 

To ensure that the EU wildlife action plan (2016) is fully 
implemented,  Hungary  has 
EU 
coordinated  action,  e.g.  by  participating  in  the  Pannon 
Eagle  LIFE  Project.  Hungary  has  also  reported  to  have 
cooperated  with  international  organisations  and  third 
countries  in  this  area.  For  example,  it  collaborated  with 
the  World  Parrot  Trust  on  a  project  to  re-introduce 
confiscated African grey parrots to Tanzania. 

to 

Sustainable 
implementation of the UN SDGs 

development 

and 

the 

Sustainable development links environmental, social and 
economic policies in a coherent framework and therefore 
helps  to 
legislation  and 
policies. 

implement  environmental 

in  2008. 

Hungary  established  a  national  Council  for  sustainable 
development 
Its  members  are  politicians, 
economists,  scientists,  churches,  trade  unions  and  civil 
society. The Speaker of the Parliament chairs the Council. 
The Council prepared a report on Hungary’s sustainability 
status,  entitled  ‘Searching  for  the  future’  and  set  out  a 
national  sustainable  development  framework  strategy, 
with contributions from experts and stakeholder groups. 

The  second  national  framework  strategy  on  sustainable 
development (2012-2024)218 was adopted in March 2013. 
It  gives  a  description  of  the  national  resources,  lists 
unsustainable  processes  that  are  currently  applied  and 
sets  out  the  appropriate  steps  to  be  taken.  It  also 
confirms 
corporate 
innovation constitute the basis for economic growth. 

research  and 

scientific 

that 

216 The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of 
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 
217 Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of 
wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein (the Basic Regulation). 
218 18/2013. (III. 28.) OGY határozat a Nemzeti Fenntartható Fejlődés 
Keretstratégiáról; National Framework Strategy on Sustainable 
Development of Hungary. 

219 Sustainable Development Goals — Voluntary National Review 2018. 
220 Nemzeti Fenntartható Fejlődési Tanács 
221 A KSH kiadványtára 

37