The Central Bank of Hungary (MNB) is encouraging the banking sector to increase the level of green loans. To this end, significantly reduced capital requirements have been put in place when applying for loans, and green company bonds were introduced in summer 2020 as part of the MNB bond funding for growth scheme. The Hungarian government is now ready to intervene to achieve climate neutrality.

The Capital Markets Board [the "CMB"] introduced critical amendments to the sale methods and distribution principles to be applied to initial public offering of shares of non-public companies with the publication of its Decision No. i-SPK.128.21 [the “Decision"] on March 30, 2023. Accordingly, the relevant provisions of the Communiqué on Sales of Capital Market Instruments No. II.5.2 of the CMB will be superseded by the rules outlined in the Decision until a contradicting decision is made.

Mediation as a way of resolving disputes between parties has existed for a long time now. However, not many have been willing to take part in the mediation process and use this way of resolving disputes, whose main purpose is to achieve a solution acceptable to both parties. It seems that long-lasting court proceedings and often expensive arbitration processes have shed light on a more amicable, faster, and more economical way of resolving disputes – mediation.

The European Court of Justice established in its ruling of 28 February 2023 that online platform OnlyFans is liable for value added tax (VAT) on the full amount paid by subscribers to content creators, not only on the 20% fee that the platform is charging creators of the sums paid by fans. This decision supports the position of the UK tax authority (HMRC) and further emphasizes the tax obligations of online platforms, regardless of their place of establishment.

In the beginning of February 2023, amendments to the Civil Procedure Code (“CPC“), dedicated to the digitalization of the order for payment procedure were promulgated. In the motives of the draft law, it is noted that the changes are in line with the tendency in the European Union towards the digitalization of this procedure, as well as with the aim of allocating judicial resources in a more optimal way through the centralized distribution of the order for payment procedures among regional judges across the country. In this way, an attempt is made towards overcoming the uneven workload of the judges from the different regions, respectively towards acceleration of the court proceedings.

On 1 April 2023, the Information Technologies and Communications Authority (ITCA) published decision no. 2023/DK-İD/119, dated 28 March 2023, regarding the new set of Principles and Procedures for Social Network Providers ("New Principles and Procedures") in the Official Gazette no. 32150.

With Chat GPT the world is witnessing the first visible mass use of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in complex intellectual works. Although AI is not any novelty in the world, it seems that in 2023 Chat GPT made a real breakthrough in the everyday use of AI assistance to humanity.

The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail sector has been put under the spotlight by the Turkish Competition Authority (the “TCA”) once again.

A fast-track analysis by the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has found that in many cases, companies' advertising communications suggesting sustainability are not backed up by easily accessible and relevant evidence for consumers. The result of the fast-track analyses was disclosed on 17 February 2023.

The Law on the Restructuring of Certain Receivables and Amendments to Certain Laws has entered into force by being published in the Official Gazette dated March 12, 2023.

On March 22, 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a new directive to prevent businesses from misleading their customers about the environmental characteristics of their products and services.

We are witnessing that there is a constant "hunger" for information in modern society and that the media are competing to be the first to publish exclusive news. The average reader is overwhelmed by a massive amount of information, and the media almost always publish articles and appealing photos to attract the reader's attention.

EU Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report infringements of EU law was adopted in 2019 and should have been transposed into national law by the Member States until 17 December 2021. The Directive obliges the Member States to set up a three-step notification system.

In accordance with the law which was published in the Official Gazette on July 7, 2022 making amendments to the "Law on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce”, new obligations were introduced concerning the Electronic Commerce Service Providers (“ECSPs”) and Electronic Commerce Intermediary Service Providers (“ECISPs”). This new regulation has raised many questions and controversies.

The Serbian Ministry of Justice released a Data Protection Strategy Proposal for 2023-2030 and invited stakeholders to participate in public discussion. The document sets an ambitious goal: harmonisation of data protection legislation with acquis communautaire resulting in obtaining EU decision on the adequate protection of personal data and resulting in a free flow of personal data with EU. We would be glad to participate in public discussion providing suggestions resulting from our long-term practice for the improvement of the proposal.

In January 2023, there was a significant amendment to consumer law, which on the one hand expanded the rights of consumers, and on the other hand introduced a number of new obligations for retailers.

At the beginning of March 2023, the Ministry of Construction and Transport published the concept of the Act on Hungarian Architecture for public consultation. The new act would include, as a clear code, the act on the chambers of the designer and expert engineers and architects, the Building Act, the acts the protection of the townscape and on the protection of cultural heritage with updated content.

Selling a part of an undertaking and the consequent transfer of a part of the business to another employer raises several practical and legal issues. This applies in particular to employees assigned to several organisational units, including the transferred part of the undertaking. According to CJEU case law, such employees' employment contracts may be divided as long as this does not entail a deterioration in the working conditions and does not adversely affect safeguarding employee rights.