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Analyze the Hungarian domestic liability scheme vs. the international protocol, exploring sources, evolution, and financial implications. Understand scope, type, and financial aspects of liability in Hungary.
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Regulation of Environmental Liability in Hungary in the Context of the Civil Liability Protocol Gábor Baranyai Ministry of Environment and Water
I. Structure of the Protocol • An international liability scheme (Art.s 1-12, Annexes I-II) • Procedures (private international law regime – Art.s 13-20) • Institutional matters (final clauses – Art.s 21-33).
II. Analysis Comparison between the Hungarian domestic liability scheme and the international liability scheme of the Protocol. (A)Sources • 1995 Environment Act (amended in 2007 to transpose Directive 2004/35/EC) • 1959 Civil Code (contains reference to civil liability on environmental matters since 1979)
(B) Evolution • CIVIL LIABILITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE • Long history of civil liability for environmental damage • Laid down in the 1959 Civil Code and extended by the 1995 Environment Act • Strict liability regime • Traditional defences (force majeur, 3rd party causation, etc.) • Land owner jointly and severally liable • LIABILITY FOR THE PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION OF ENVIRONMENAL DAMAGE • Introduced by the 1995 Environmental Act • Basic provisions along Dir. 2004/35/EC • Judicial practice: underdeveloped, mainly focusing on civil liability • Results on the ground: groundwater + soil (since year 2000)
TRANSPOSITION OF DIRECTIVE 2004/35/EC • The existing administrative liability scheme significantly strengthened in terms of substance and procedures • Four implementing government decrees adopted/amended on • Groundwater remediation • Surface water remediation • Remediation of damage to biodiversity • Emergency response measures • Future: further legislation on financial securities
III. Main features of the Hungarian liability scheme (a) Civil (b) Administrative III.1 Scope • The purpose and the scope of application of the Protocol is limited. The Hungarian liability regime has a broad purpose and a universal scope. • Limitations in the Protocol: • Scope of application limited • damage • on transboundary waters • by industrial accidents
Environmental damage: • Protocol: “classical civil” instances of damage (loss of life, injury, property, income) + cost of environmental intervention (reinstatement and response measures) • Hungarian law: • Civil law damage: same as in Protocol • Environmental damage: broader than in Protocol (based on Directive 2004/35/EC) • Receiving media: • Protocol: transboundary waters • Hungarian law: any environmental media • Source of damage: • Protocol: accidents by hazardous industrial activities as defined by Art. 2 and Annex I • Hungarian law: any activity that involves the use of any environmental media
III.2 Type of liability • Protocol: strict liability as a general rule, traditional defences apply (force majeure, order of public authority, third party causation), fault-based liability for agents • Hungarian law: strict liability applies horizontally • Civil law damage: the defences are narrower than in Protocol • Environmental damage: defences as in Protocol
III.3 Financial issues • Limits to liability: • Protocol: limited corresponding to the degree of hazard posed by the activity (Annex II: 10-40 M SDR) • Hungarian law: no limit whatsoever, guiding principle is full compensation • Financial security: • Protocol: mandatory financial security: • Insurance, bonds, other financial guarantees • For the entire period of operation • Hungarian law: Government is authorised to introduce mandatory financial schemes, politically difficult, insurance industry not fully ready