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Protection of Fundamental Rights by Private Law: Hungary

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The Influence of Human Rights and Basic Rights in Private Law

Part of the book series: Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law ((GSCL,volume 15))

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Abstract

This contribution aims to examine how Hungarian private law protects fundamental rights in private relations. The overview of the basic notions of rights protection in civil law will explain how far the universal idea of the rights of the individuals has developed in Hungary and how it relates to requirements indicated in the constitution, the Fundamental Law of Hungary. Hungary has just closed the codification procedure of a new Civil Code that entered into force on 15th March 2014. After the general introduction of the development of human rights and the controversies in the application of constitutional norms in private relations, according to the general scope of the research, I will focus on how certain main fields of private law already meet the required level of rights protection under domestic constitutional, European and international human rights standards. However, there are exceptions. Cases and controversies show that it is not always clear for judges how to interpret the applicable rule in order to meet abstract constitutional standards while staying in line with the text and the fundamental logic of private law. The study – according to the aims of the entire book – is primarily descriptive, it explains the basics of how human rights appear and apply in private law.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Translated by the author.

  2. 2.

    László Sólyom, former president of the Constitutional Court and former President of the Republic, believes that this wording is reminiscent of the European Convention on Human Rights (inherent rights) as well, and clearly points to the roots in natural rights.

  3. 3.

    The situation is similar in most countries that are experiencing or have recently experienced the democratic transformation. Compare The protection of fundamental rights by the constitutional court (European Commission for Democracy through law: Council of Europe Publishing, 1996).

  4. 4.

    For instance, Antal Ádám, former judge at the Constitutional Court, is of the opinion that “fundamental rights guarantee the basic intellectual, moral, political interests of humans, citizens and societies, together with the protection of their life and health, their social services and material possibilities, and thus, unquestionably are among the fundamental values.” Translated by the author. See Ádám (2002, 11).

  5. 5.

    See Proposal for the 17 November 2000 meeting of the Civil Law and Administrative Law Benches of the Baranya County Court in connection with non-pecuniary damages in civil and labour law cases Bírósági Döntések Tára [Collection of Judicial Decisions], 2001/2, 5–31.

  6. 6.

    www.szazadveg.hu/files/46menyhard.pdf.

  7. 7.

    In accordance with similar cases and hypotheticals the study of Attila Menyhárd tries to prove that the limitation on private liberty will not produce general welfare. See Menyhárd (2006, 8–15).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hungarian Academy of Sciences Centre for Social Sciences, Országház u. 30, 1014, Budapest, Hungary

    Fruzsina Gárdos-Orosz Ph.D

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  1. Fruzsina Gárdos-Orosz Ph.D
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Correspondence to Fruzsina Gárdos-Orosz Ph.D .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. European Law Unit, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Verica Trstenjak

  2. Faculty of Law & University College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Petra Weingerl

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Gárdos-Orosz, F. (2016). Protection of Fundamental Rights by Private Law: Hungary. In: Trstenjak, V., Weingerl, P. (eds) The Influence of Human Rights and Basic Rights in Private Law. Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25337-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25337-4_11

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