Hungary

Have any regulations or guidelines already been implemented?

Government Decree No. 80/2023. (III. 14.) on the the detailed rules of the EPR system (“EPR Decree”) also implementing the extended liability of textile producers in compliance with the WFD has entered into force.

Article 12 of the WFD on the setting up of separate collection of textiles is implemented in Section 43 of Act CLXXXV of 2012 on Waste which amendment enters into force on 1 January 2025.

Is there any upcoming relevant legislation or guidelines? 

What is the timeline for implementation?

There are two relevant dates of entry into force of the EPR Decree:

• 1 April 2023  the sections regarding certain initial administrative steps, such as  obligatory registration of manufacturers of the respective textile products at the national waste management authority; and
• 1 July 2023, the rest of the provisions of the EPR Decree

What are the general rules?

Pursuant to the  EPR Decree, the manufacturer placing on the market of the textile product shall perform its obligations under the EPR via a designated concession company in a collective manner.

It implies that the manufacturer will pay a so called “EPR fee” to the concession company, which is then responsible for waste management.

The EPR fee is to be paid quarterly and is calculated based on the mandatory quarterly report on the quantity of textile products placed on the market by the manufacturer and a fixed fee for the textile product in question.

There are provisions on the specific data and information that should be reported.

The EPR Decree specifies the mandatory elements of the contract between the manufacturer and the concession company.

What are the products involved?

The textile products involved under EPR pursuant to the unofficial text of the government decree are:

• Carpets and other textile floor coverings;
• Knitted or crocheted articles of apparel, clothing accessories and clothing parts;
• Articles of apparel, accessories, and clothing parts;
• Blankets and travelling rugs;
• Bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen;
• Curtains (including drapes) and interior blinds; bed curtains;
• Other furnishing articles, other than those of heading No 9404 of the tariff nomenclature.
  

What are the enforcement measures and sanctions in case of violation?

If the manufacturer fails to register itself at the national waste management authority, placing its textile product on the market is suspended until

- the registration takes place; or
- the outstanding EPR fee is paid.

Which are the responsible authorities or bodies?

The regional waste management authorities are the county government offices. The national waste management authority is the government authority of Pest County.