Hungary amends e-commerce and consumer protection laws

In the first quarter of 2024, the Hungarian legislature made several amendments to the Hungarian E-commerce and Consumer Protection Act. It is expected that Hungary will continue to revise this act in the coming period, and the new regulations published on April 23, 2024 already include various amendments within the legal framework.

The amendments to the warranty obligations for durable consumer goods provided for by Government Decree No. 93/2024 (IV.23.) came into force on 8 May 2024. This means that the mandatory warranty period for products with a sales price between HUF 10.000 and HUF 250.000 (approximately EUR 25-640) will be 2 years. This means that any defects in the product during this period will be deemed to have existed at the time of sale, with the burden of proof being on the seller. For products with a sales price above HUF 250.000 (approximately EUR 640), the warranty period will remain at 3 years.

In addition, the government decree also stipulates that companies should provide consumers with a guarantee card in a format that ensures that the contents of the guarantee card remain legible before the end of the guarantee period; except for electronic guarantee cards, the guarantee card should have the company seal and representative signature; if it is an electronic contract, the company is allowed to hand over the electronic guarantee card no later than the day after the goods are delivered or installed; if the company provides the guarantee card in the form of a downloadable link, the guarantee card must be available for download before the end of the guarantee period.

Specific Terms of Sale for Children's Products

The government decree further stipulates that children's products with elements that display or promote gender identity deviation, homosexuality, gender change, or the expression of straight, natural or self-sexual behavior (hereinafter referred to as "specific characteristics") must not be displayed in public or must be separated from other children's products and placed in closed packaging. Sellers must ensure that the products can be properly inspected from outside the packaging.

Any product whose design, appearance or packaging clearly indicates a special nature should not be displayed in public. In the case of books, the seller or trader must be informed of the special nature of the book by the publisher.

Latest regulations for online stores

Starting from March 28, 2024, the government requires online shop operators to provide the parcel delivery service of the Hungarian Post Office (MPL) on their website. These relevant regulations are considered consumer protection regulations, and therefore the Hungarian Consumer Protection Authority will be entitled to take action in any violation of these regulations.