Restrictions on the Freedom of Movement

I. Restrictions of movement within the territory of Hungary

On 27 March 2020, the Hungarian government passed Government Decree 71/2020 (III.27.) which introduces a restriction of movement for the following two weeks. The decree contains the following provisions:

Everyone is obliged to limit their social interactions – members of the same household are exceptions - and to keep a minimum of 1,5 meters distance from other people. This rule shall also apply when travelling on public transport.

Staying in catering establishments is forbidden, except for the employees of the place. This provision does not apply to the handing out and delivery of takeaway food products.

People shall not leave their permanent Hungarian address, address of residence or private residence without a duly justified reason defined in this decree.

The duly justified reasons are the following:

• working purposes, economic activities, agricultural or forestry activities and shopping at specialty stores for tools that are necessary in connection with these activities;
• to accompany minor children to small group supervision i.e. daycare;
• access to healthcare, medical treatment including treatments concerning mental health and physiotherapy;
• individual sport activities, leisure walking;
• participating at weddings and funerals within a narrow family circle;
• shopping at: grocery stores, drug stores, pharmacies, stores which sell pet food and forage, agricultural stores, markets, producers’ markets, tobacco shops;
• purchases at fuel at gasoline stations;
• visiting hairdressers, barbershops, manicurists;
• use of transport, cleaning, hygiene, repairing and waste management services;
• if necessary: attending authorities, banks, postal services, insurer personally for administration purposes;
• walking of pets and attending the veterinarian and animal hospitals;
  parental rights and obligations; and
• religious activities.

In addition, helping people who are unable to care for themselves or need assistance (e.g. minors, elderly people) qualifies as a duly justified reason.

Individual recreational sports activity and recreational walking shall be exercised alone or together with other members of the persons’ household on the periphery or in urban areas (in green areas as far as possible). When exercising such activities, people shall keep at least a 1,5 m distance from others.

People who are over 65 years old may visit groceries, drugstores, markets and pharmacies between 9 am and 12 am. People who are not over 65 years old shall not enter these places at those times and the operator of these places is responsible for the enforcement of this provision and the obligatory 1,5 m distance between people.

The police will inspect/monitor compliance with the restrictive measures of this decree and may involve anybody described in the Act CCV of 2012 and XLII of 2015 (e.g. TEK, NAV, military bodies).

In case of a breach of this decree, police officers may only apply (coercive) measures based on Act XXXIV. of 1994 (Police Act) that are in compliance with the principle of necessity and proportionality. The person who breaches the provisions of this decree commits an administrative offence and the amount of the fine for such breach shall be between HUF 5,000 and HUF 500,000.

This decree is effective from 28 March 2020 until 11 April 2020.

II. Travel Restrictions

On 26 March 2020, the National Chief Medical Officer issued a resolution providing for that:

• entry into Hungary is forbidden for every train, bus and aircraft, which is carrying international passengers;
• entry for foreign citizens from all foreign countries is prohibited; and
  entry into universities is forbidden for students;
• Hungarian citizens arriving from foreign countries have to undergo a medical examination and, depending on the result, may be obliged to observe different types of quarantine.

The humanitarian corridor is still open for foreign citizens.

Citizens of EEA, who have a permanent residence permit in Hungary are subject to the same rules as Hungarian citizens.

Who to contact?

Please do not hesitate to contact any member of our team:

Péter Lakatos
Richard Lock
Ungár Attila
Oláh Tamás

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