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The Hungarian Whistleblower Protection Act has entered into force this July. While bigger companies have to operate the internal whistleblowing system since the above date, medium sized businesses (50-250 employees) were given a prolonged period until the 17th of December 2023 to implement the reporting channel. Since the deadline is approaching, we summarize how Hungarian SMEs can comply with the Act.

The Hungarian Competition Authority (HCA) recently published a draft report on its findings based on an accelerated sector inquiry into Hungary's online accommodation booking market. The sector inquiry was launched on 24 August 2023 after the HCA received numerous complaints during the peak summer holiday season about the practices of Booking.com, a key market player, for withholding payments to accommodation providers.

Some significant amendments to the Hungarian Competition Act have entered into force. The Hungarian Competition Authority (HCA) has been very active recently in various sectors. This summary briefly describes the most important changes. Some of the changes require an update to the compliance materials for Hungary.

In a recent decision, the Hungarian Supreme Court had to decide in case, where the amount called by the beneficiary of the guarantee was more than the actual costs incurred. Does call on the bank guarantee shall be proportionate to the costs actually incurred? Shall the beneficiary settle accounts with the debtor after the bank guarantee has been called?

The rules on the order for payment order procedure have changed significantly as of 1 October 2023. Many of the changes are related to the simplification and digitalisation of the procedure.

The draft of the new Hungarian Construction Act was recently published for public consultation. Although the act only lays down the general rules, and details will be laid down in other regulations that are not yet known, several new features can already be seen in the draft. In our short article we summarise a few important changes.

When we consider the validity of a contract on the basis of the parties' will, it is usually the will at the time of the conclusion of the contract that is relevant. In a recent decision, however, the Supreme Court of Hungary has pointed out that in the case of a long-lasting legal relationship, such as an employment relationship, the parties' actions after the conclusion of the contract in order to perform it must also be taken into account when determining the contractual intention.

Presently, a legislative proposal has been placed on the agenda, focusing on measures aimed at streamlining governmental operations. This comprehensive proposal encompasses various modifications, one of which pertains to an amendment to the personal income tax act (“PIT Act”).

The National Water Resources Protection Map, required for the licensing of domestic and agricultural wells under the amendment to the Water Management Act, has been completed and is available on the website of National Water Directorate (in Hungarian: “Országos Vízügyi Főigazgatóság”). This Protection Map will play a central role in the future licensing of domestic groundwater wells.

In July 2023 the European Court of Justice (ECJ) gave its judgment in case no. C-106-22 (Xella Judgment). The case was referred by the Fővárosi Törvényszék (Budapest High Court, Hungary) for preliminary ruling on the interpretation of Article 65(1)(b) TFEU in conjunction with recitals 4 and 6 of Regulation (EU) 2019/452 (EU FDI Regulation) and Article 4(2) TEU.

The company name is an important asset of the company and also helps the customers when choosing between products or services. Therefore, a new company can only be founded with a name that is sufficiently different from existing companies. What are the legal options for a company if, despite the above, a new company with a very similar name has been registered?

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DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. This positions us to help clients with their legal needs around the world.

With more than 60 lawyers, including 14 partners, and a staff of over 140, DLA Piper Hungary is one of the largest international law firms operating in Hungary. What makes us stand out is that we offer not only legal services but also tax and business advisory support in a fully integrated manner. We maximize synergies between legal, tax, and business advisory services to offer a unique service for our clients, particularly in regulated industries such as energy, infrastructure, life sciences, banking, and telecommunications.

We are a true full-service firm, providing our private and public sector clients with advice on all aspects of their business. This includes transaction-related advice, people and employment, commercial dealings, litigation, information technology, media and communications, intellectual property, insurance, tax, real estate, and restructuring plans.

DLA Piper Hungary has received numerous professional awards and is consistently ranked among the top law firms in Hungary by international rankings. We are ranked #1 by Mergermarket among the law firms active in Hungary based on the volume of M&A deals handled between 2005 and 2024.

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