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Hungarian Legislation on Unfair Commercial Practices – Critical Comments
54-67Views:153Directive 2005/29/EC concerning unfair commercial practices (hereafter: UCPD) has a maximum harmonization character. The aim of this paper is to review and criticize the rules of the Hungarian implementing act. The starting point is the ban stemming from the maximum harmonization: Member States during the implementation must not create or apply stricter or milder rules than those of the UCPD. However, the Hungarian act has many problematic parts in connection with both the rules and the definitions. Besides scrutinizing these questionable points the paper also uncovers the possible practical consequences.
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The New Hungarian regulation of Working Time, Rest Periods and Paid Leave in the Light of the Workers’ Interests
31-47Views:477The paper consists of three parts. The first part introduces the multiple changes – mostly in the favour of employers – in regulation in Hungarian labour law based on the Working Time Directive. The newest idea is also connected to these changes because the reference period may be significantly extended in Hungarian law even a longer period is planned than in the directive. In the second part I analyse the relevant regulation from a critical point of view pointing out the lack of some clear concepts in the Hungarian regulation. The paper highlights the following: at several employers the workplace and the employees’ place of residence were near to each other but nowadays these workplaces are changed and the employees need to take much more time-consuming trips to the actual workplace. the third part examines the relevant case-law of the CJEU.
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Hungarian Regulation of Temporary Agency Work from the Aspect of EU Directives
55-78Views:991Temporary agency work was introduced into Hungarian law on the 1st July 2001. After nearly two decades of experience and numerous legislative changes, the domestic regulation of agency work is still not finished or coherent, and it is burdened with a number of EU harmonization shortcomings, constitutional concerns and practical problems. The purpose of this study is to examine the Hungarian legal regulation of temporary agency work from the point of view of EU law, while also highlighting a number of issues of domestic law that need to be clarified.
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Neighbouring Rights of Press Publishers: Issues Relating to Transposition
Views:250Press publishers spend billions on producing quality journalism each year. While the costs of producing well supported, quality journalism manifest in producing the original content, i.e. the very first copy, further costs – due to digitization – are negligible. Parallel to this, prosperous business models thrive on re-using articles in press publications, as well as optimizing them for search and social media platforms attractive enough to generate huge amounts of advertising revenue. But not for the those who actually make the content. The European Union seeks to persuade large digital companies to take part in the financing of European content, mainly through competition law or by taking steps to improve the competitive position of European companies. The rules relating to press publishers of the EU Copyright Directive of 2019 intend to serve this purpose and will be analysed in this paper.
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Balancing Work and Life: New Developments in the Field of Legal Protection of Workers
25-44Views:188The present study deals with the current labour law questions of balancing work and private life. The topicality of the study is supported by Directive (EU) 2019/1158 which, built on the existing legislative basis, brings several novelties in this regulative area refreshing the key elements of the criteria of equal employment referring to the employees raising children. The researched regulation fits into the high level, socially motivated; worker-protection Directive designated by the European Pillar of Social Rights, consequently, this aspect also plays a role in elaboration. In my analysis, I concentrate on the regulative background, subject of the new Directive, as well as its connection to fundamental social rights and the new norms describing the potentially strengthening legal protection of workers. I draw conclusions based on their synthesis about the predictable future effects of the new regulation.
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Energy audit: EU-Law and its implementation in Germany
29-41Views:213The Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) No. 2012/27/EU establishes a set of binding measures to help the EU to reach its 20% energy efficiency target by 2020. Energy audits are an essential tool to achieve adequate energy savings (see art. 8. EED). The current study focuses on the EU legal requirement on Energy Audits and its implementation in Germany by the 2015 amended Act on Energy Services and other Energy Efficiency Measures (Gesetz über Energiedienstleistungen und andere Energieeffizienzmaßnahmen – EDL-G). The analysis is still relevant because of the infringement proceedings against Germany by the European Commission based on fragmentary transposition of the EED.
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The Observation, Review, and Possible Modification of the EU Environmental Liability Directive in Hungary
29-41Views:200The main secondary legal source of environmental liability in the European Union is the Directive 2004/35/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage. Even though it was modified several times since then, it still remains the basic norm in the environmental field by establishing the regulatory frames by means of the polluter pays principle and the principle of prevention. The present study makes an overview of recent and potential further legislative steps in Hungary with regards to its implementation.
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The EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) from an Environmental Law Perspective
63-87Views:301This paper will focus on the 2012/27/EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). Since the EED is a rather new legal act, its assessment from an environmental law perspective has been neglected in academic literature. Therefore, the next question automatically arises: does the new directive take steps to improve the EU regulations concerning energy efficiency? The EED undoubtedly took a step forward by providing legally binding frameworks for the reduction of energy consumption (instead of the previous political and non-binding energy efficiency goals) and has done this in an absolute way, which is the most important requirement from an ecological point of view. Beyond the special targets of the EED, there are several specific requirements that may play a significant role in the realisation of the EED’s targets. Among these, for instance the following is highlighted in this paper: establishing energy efficiency obligation schemes or adopting alternative policy measures; the 3% commitment of renovation regarding central government buildings; the obligation of energy audits regarding enterprises that are not small or medium-sized, etc. This paper concludes that, despite a few provisions of the directive meeting the ecological requirements, in reality, the regulation misses theoretical ground.
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Review of the Book “Posted Workers in EU and Hungarian Law” by Gábor Kártyás
209-220Views:94In today’s globalized labour law, where borders, especially within the European Union, seem to be increasingly blurred, cross-border situations are becoming more common. Due to digitalisation and technology, which is evolving at a rapid pace especially in the present situation, working abroad can now be carried out without the worker actually moving away from his desk, namely not physically entering another country. In view of this, the topicality and exciting nature of the processed topic can hardly be questioned. Following a holistic approach, the reviewed book guides the readers with unique detail and provides them with a sure point of reference on the swampy ground of the posting, which is surrounded by many challenges and conflicts of interests. In our review, we will describe and evaluate the content of the monograph along these sure points of reference.
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Az európai nyomozási határozat, mint a büntetőeljárás hatékonyságát fokozó eszköz
26-49Views:321A büntetőügyekben folytatott igazságügyi együttműködés egyik célkitűzése egy olyan eljárási rendszer kidolgozása, amely elősegíti a tagállami büntetőeljárások hatékonyságát, így lehetőséget teremt arra, hogy az egyik tagállamban beszerzett bizonyítási eszköz egy másik tagállamban folytatott büntetőeljárás keretében is könnyedén felhasználható legyen. Az Amszterdami Szerződés hatályba lépésétől kezdődően több olyan dokumentum is született, amelyik egy ilyen rendszer megteremtésének szükségességére hívta fel a figyelmet. Az Európai Bizottság (a továbbiakban: Bizottság) 2009-ben kiadott, a büntetőügyekben felvett bizonyítékoknak a tagállamok által másik tagállamtól történő megszerzéséről és elfogadhatóságuk biztosításáról szóló Zöld könyvében számba vette azokat a hatályos jogintézményeket, amelyek „mechanizmusokat biztosítanak a tagállamok számára ahhoz, hogy a határokon átnyúló helyzetekben elfogadható büntetőügyi bizonyítékokat gyűjtsenek,” s megállapította, hogy a bizonyításfelvételt érintő uniós joganyag alapvetően két csoportra osztható. Vannak egyrészt olyan jogintézmények, amelyek kölcsönös jogsegélyre (pl.: kölcsönös bűnügyi jogsegélyről szóló európai egyezmény), másrészt pedig olyanok, amelyek a kölcsönös elismerés elvére épülnek (pl.: európai bizonyításfelvételi parancs). Valójában egyik sem teremti meg azt a mechanizmust, amellyel biztosított lenne a hatékony bizonyításfelvétel egy másik tagállamban, vagy a megszerzett bizonyítási eszközök tényleges felhasználhatósága/elfogadhatósága. E hiányosság kiküszöbölését hivatott szolgálni a 2014. április 3-án elfogadott európai nyomozási határozatról szóló irányelv. Célkitűzése – a büntetőeljárások hatékonyságának a fokozása érdekében – a bizonyításfelvétel és a bizonyítékátadás egységes, a kölcsönös elismerés elvén alapuló rendszerének megteremtése, amely a bizonyítékok minden fajtájára kiterjed, pontos végrehajtási határidőket jelöl meg, és szűk körre korlátozza a megtagadás lehetséges indokait. Az európai nyomozási határozat az alábbi jogintézmények felváltását szolgálja: a kölcsönös jogsegélyen alapuló eszközök közül a Kölcsönös bűnügyi jogsegélyről szóló európai egyezményt és kiegészítő jegyzőkönyveit; a Schengeni Végrehajtási Egyezményt, az Európai Unió tagállamai közötti kölcsönös bűnügyi jogsegélyről szóló egyezményt és kiegészítő jegyzőkönyvét, és bi-, és multilaterális megállapodásokat. A kölcsönös elismerés elvén alapuló eszközök közül az európai bizonyításfelvételi parancsról szóló kerethatározatot, valamint a vagyonnal vagy bizonyítékkal kapcsolatos biztosítási intézkedést elrendelő határozatok végrehajtásáról szóló kerethatározatot váltja fel.
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New attempts in EU law for the improvement of the consular protection of EU citizens in third countries
9-23Views:145The right of EU citizens to consular protection in third countries, where their Member State is not represented, is one of the most significant rights attached to the European citizenship. With the existing legal basis laid down in the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the right to consular protection of EU citizens has all the conceivable chances to be established uniformly by union actions and under the supervision of the European Court of Justice. The aim of the Council Directive (EU) 2015/637 is to lay down the cooperation and coordination measures necessary to further facilitate consular protection to unrepresented citizens of the European Union. Nevertheless the directive does not affect consular relations between Member States and third countries. The present paper focuses on the actions had been taken in this field from the treaty establishing the European Economic Community until the achievements of the Treaty of Lisbon and the aforementioned Council Directive.
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Privacy Issues Regarding the Use of Web Cookies
43-58Views:352EU cookie laws have been in place since 2011, but before the entry into force of the GDPR, the conditions for consent were interpreted differently across Europe. Since the GDPR came into effect, there has been a great deal of interest in how it applies to cookies and similar technologies. The GDPR updated the EU’s longstanding digital privacy framework, with key additions including tightening the rules around consent as a legal basis for processing personal data. The purpose of this study is to clarify for data controllers the rules they need to pay attention to, in order to ensure that the use of cookies on its websites is strictly in accordance with applicable laws
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Environmental Liability Law: Environmental Civil Experts’ view
86-112Views:155Environmental liability legislation, both the ELD in Europe and CERCLA in US, is burdened with significant compromises, but even if so, they are too leniently implemented. Moreover, rather scarce data are available on the liability cases and on the status of polluted sites, therefore the system is unable to amend itself. There is no reason to be surprised: expenses of protection or remedy of the polluted sites are enormous, the concerned industries would get into a poor competition position in the market if faced with too stringent liability. In the exceptional cases when their deeds are revealed and enforcement actions start, they still might retreat behind the bastions of limited responsibility of their companies. In such situations public participation is a vital element of any progressive outcomes. In the present study we examine the efforts of J&E, a network of public interest environmental lawyers to contribute to moving out the European environmental liability systems from their stalemate position and enhance their effectiveness.
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The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Enforcement of Environmental Liability
113-127Views:289Public participation is an essential part of the mechanism of dealing with environmental problems. Both the Aarhus Convention and Union law stipulate that citizens and environmental NGOs should be guaranteed access to justice that includes providing legal standing for environmental NGOs individuals and directly affected by a breach of environmental law. In accordance with the Environmental Liability Directive, persons adversely affected by environmental damage are entitled to ask the competent authorities to take action. However, there are major chellenges to the implementation of environmental legislation, faced by environmental NGOs in obtaining standing to bring legal challenges on environmental issues.
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The Criminal Provisions of the DDoS Attacks in the United States, Eu- rope and Hungary
66-83Views:356The Internet offers an opportunity to launch y wide range of cyberattacks such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, which exploits the vulnerabilities of the system network without access. DDoS attacks continue to grow in intensity and complexity. Due to the Crime-as-a-Service business model and online criminal markets DDoS attacks have become accessible to anyone willing to pay for such services. It can be launched easily, although it may cause serious social and economic damage. The aim of this paper to present the criminal provisions of the DDoS attack in the United States, Europe and Hungary.
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Rest Periods in EU Labour Law
Views:107The paper aims to approach the dilemmas of EU working time rules from the novel perspective of rest periods. It examines the functions and nature of rest periods in EU law, with special regard to the ECJ’s recent judgment in the MÁV-Start case (C-477/21). The analysis tackles the question whether rest periods should be regarded as a right or an obligation of the worker and visits the issue of the possible role of a separate right to disconnect. The analysis ends with some conclusions.
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The Challenges of Cryptocurrencies in Substantive Criminal Law and Procedure
79-98Views:966The legal status of cryptocurrencies is a gray area in most legal systems, although criminals increasingly abuse cryptocurrencies to fund criminal activities. The study analyses solely the criminal use of cryptocurrencies. For example money launderers have evolved to use cryptocurrencies in their operations, therefore legislative changes at EU level, or the uniform application of existing anti-money laundering regulations have been required. In a trend mirroring attacks on banks and their customers, cryptocurrency users and exchangers have become victims of cybercrimes themselves. Conventional crimes may be committed via cryptocurrencies such as fraud and extortion. Darknet criminal markets use cryptocurrencies as payment instruments since they offer better anonimity and some of them greater privacy. They are less traceable and their decentralised system challenges law enforcement.