According to the opinion released yesterday by the advocate general of the European Court of Justice, the Hungarian regulation that prohibits foreign taxpayers from submitting their documents in the second instance (appeal) procedures in VAT refund cases violates European law. If the final judgment will align with this opinion, it would not only simplify the process for foreign businesses to claim VAT refunds in Hungary but would also open the possibility to reclaim previous VAT payments.

The rules for shop closures are tightening, and next year, those who violate invoice or receipt obligations may not necessarily get away with just a warning. Considering that even a few weeks of closure can cause significant damage to a company's life, it is advisable for businesses to tighten their processes and supervision of their employees.

Hungarian structured finance transactions rely on a clear and enforceable security framework. The Hungarian Civil Code provides lenders with a comprehensive set of security interests that can be flexibly structured to support complex financing arrangements and to mitigate credit risk in secured lending transactions.

As of 1 January 2024, a long-standing dream of startups is coming true: these companies can provide shares to their employees and executives tax-free. As a result, the ownership mindset and motivation of these individuals can be efficiently ensured without tax burdens.

Buying or selling real estate in Hungary is a private agreement between a seller(s) and a purchaser(s). The process is governed by strict form and content requirements and overlooking them may easily put the entire transaction at risk. Understanding these rules in detail — from formal signatures and escrow arrangements to the special restrictions applying to agricultural land — is the key to ensuring that every property transfer is not only valid on paper, but also secure and enforceable in practice.

The approaching October 20 deadline has been kept the Hungarian business sphere on edge for quite some time. This is the cutoff for submitting the first EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) declarations. While many details are still unresolved, it is already clear that attempting to deceive or withhold information is not worth it.

As part of the implementation of the European Union's waste management directives, Hungary will also need to apply the rules of the ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ (EPR) legislation as from 1 July 2023.

Already last year, it was noticeable that after several years of decline, the Hungarian Tax Authority conducts more and more tax audits. In 2022, the number of tax audits increased by 6.2% compared to the previous year. Experience shows that this trend is expected to continue even more strongly this year. The most commonly audited tax category remains VAT.