Recent Competition Policy Developments in Hungary Unfair Commercial Practices, Cartels and Abuse of Dominance

Abstract

This article introduces the most important Hungarian competition cases decided between the beginning of 2012 and May 2013. The paper presents legal novelties and issues which might prove interesting for an international readership in light of recent developments and focus of competition policy. Shown are both developments concerning unfair commercial practices and the UCP Directive 1 as well as anticompetitive agreements and abuse of dominance. Hungary has an enforcement system where the national competition authority, the Gazdasagi Versenyhivatal (hereafter, GVH) is responsible for the enforcement of competition rules. Within the GVH the Competition Council is responsible for taking substantive decisions on infringements. The GVH is headed by a president and there are two vice-presidents supervising the operation of case handlers, while the other acts as the chairman of the Competition Council. The Competition Council consists of lawyers and economists who enjoy a quasi-judicial status. Decisions are made in proceeding councils composed of three or five members selected by the chairman of the Competition Council.