Hungary: About Us & Contact Information

Consumer Protection in Hungary

General Inspectorate for Consumer Protection (GICP)

Role of the General Ispectorate for Consumer Protection (GICP)

Based on the professional experience of the National Commercial and Market Supervision, the General Ispectorate for Consumer Protection (GICP) was established by the Hungarian Government in 1991. It is a budgetary organisation directly accountable to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, with national jurisdiction in the field of state consumer protection and market surveillance. It provides professional supervision to the consumer protection inspectorate of the capital and to those of the 19 counties.

Activities of the GICP are determined primarily by Act 1997 on Consumer Protection. Pursuant to the Act, its principal responsibilities with respect to consumer products and services are as follows:

protection of the life, health and safety of consumers;

safeguarding of the economic interests of consumers;

adequate consumer information;

contribution to the education of consumers.

Duties of the GICP in detail:

Inspecting the safety of products and services;

promotion of the implementation of new legislation in line with EU legislation, as well as their enforcement, if necessary;

control of adherence to provisions of the Act on Consumer Protection;

surveillance of services concerning a larger section of consumers;

acting as the supervisory authority in the field of advertising;

operation of the Central Market Surveillance and Information System, which helps identify and withdraw from the market products endangering the life of consumers;

making inquiries based on complaints made by consumers and taking relevant actions;

informing consumers through the publishing of booklets and comparative tests.

Based on an annual action plan, the GICP, together with the regional inspectorates under its professional supervision, conducts national inspections, inspections concerning a few counties, as well as targeted and ad hoc inspections as necessary. Our colleagues inspect several thousand products and several tens of thousands of commercial outlets on a national and local level in a year, and if necessary, take the appropriate measures. A portion of the inspections is of a recurring, monitoring nature. Some tests and examinations are carried out on-site, some in laboratories owned by the GICP or in accredited laboratories of other institutes. The annual number of inspections based on complaints presented by consumers is approximately 30,000. While carrying out tasks, we co-operate with other organisations of professional inspectorates, partner authorities, accredited certification institutions and non-governmental organisations involved in consumer protection. The GICP has concluded agreements with over 10 partner authorities – including the customs authorities – in order to perform effective and co-ordinated inspections.

Within the organisational structure of the GICP, market surveillance activities are separated from laboratory test work. The organisation has a staff of 160, most of whom are highly qualified and possess university or college qualifications in the field of law, economics, engineering or chemistry. County inspectorates employ a total of approximately 230 persons, 80% of whom hold a degree.

When establishing and expanding our international relations, we focus on the following areas:

Facilitation of developing a state-controlled market surveillance system to comply with the EU requirements

For preparing Hungary’s accession to the EU we entered into direct relations with

the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection, which gives professional advice in accession issues,

the European Commission’s Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office (TAIEX), in cooperation with this office our experts can participate in professional conferences, trainings and workshops to study the application of the EU directives and the law enforcement practice of the EU member states.

Within the framework of the PHARE projects we had the opportunity to develop an up-to-date fleet of testing instrument park as well as establish a central market surveillance information system.

Cooperation with foreign partner-authorities

We concluded bilateral cooperation agreements with

the Office for Consumer Protection of Romania (1999) and with

the Administration for Economic Inspections of the Belgian Ministry of Economic Affairs (2000)

We are full member of the following organizations:

International Marketing Supervision Network (IMSN), which is an informal organization working for the prevention and detection of crossborder frauds and deceits in connection with services;

Product Safety Enforcement Forum for Europe (PROSAFE), which addresses the actual issues of product safety;

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where we participate in the work of the Consumer Policy Committee.

We are affiliate member of the Consumers International (CI).

The System of Transitional Rapid Exchange of Information on Dangerous Products (TRAPEX) was established by nine Central and Eastern European countries in 1999, with the professional and financial support of the University Louvain-la-Neuve. This system was designed on the model of the RAPEX System of the European Union.

With the TRAPEX System the member states can rapidly inform each other about any dangerous products placed on the market so that they can take the necessary actions for elimination of the danger.

Current member states are Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

The GICP hosts and operates the TRAPEX Coordination Secretariat, which is responsible for the collection, transmission and registration of the notifications and reactions.

Since 2001, the TRAPEX System has had an Internet homepage: www.trapex.net

How to contact us

Pursuant to consumer protection legislation, investigation of complaints fall under the authority of the 19 county consumer protection inspectorates in the first instance. Therefore, consumers are to present their claims primarily to the local inspectorate.

Nevertheless, complainant may turn (in person as well) to the Consumer Advisory Bureau working within the GICP, where they will be assisted by experts in the pursuance of their claims.

Consumers might also notify the GICP of their problem by filling in the form on its web pages.

Should the complaint fall outside the authority of the GICP, it will, pursuant to applicable regulations, be forward it to the competent authority.

Our mail address:

General Inspectorate for Consumer Protection
(Fogyasztóvédelmi Főfelügyelőség)
1088 Budapest, József krt. 6.
Web: www.fvf.hu
E-mail: fvf@fvf.hu

Other Governmental Agencies

Consumers who have a problem in the scope of competition regulation, or claim that advertisements or commercials are misleading consumers or feel that a manufacturer, trader or service company abuses its monopoly may turn to the (Gazdasági Versenyhivatal) Hungarian Competition Office.

Claims concerning telecommunications, newscast, broadcasting or the quality of service (e.g. cable TV, telephone lines or mobile phone service) may be directed to the (Hírközlési Főfelügyelet) Communication Authority of Hungary.

Complaints concerning the content of radio or television broadcast may be sent to the(Országos Rádió és Televízió Testület) National Radio and Television Commission.

Issues concerning the money market, capital market, retirement and other funds may be directly referred to the (Pénzügi Szervezetek Állami Felügyelete) Hungarian Financial Supervisory Authority.

Complaints concerning power-supply are investigated by the (Magyar Energia Hivatal) Hungarian Energy Office.

Complaints concerning the district-heating service are the responsibility of the town clerk competent for the area.

Problems concerning games of chance are the province of the (Szerencsejáték Felügyelet) Gaming Board of Hungary.

Complaints about the quality of medical instruments, e.g. hearing aids may be directed the (Egészségügyi Minisztérium Orvostechnikai Hivatala) Office for Medical Equipment of Ministry of Health.

Supervision of protective equipment used for work, machinery, equipment, instruments and tools (working tools) used for organised work is directed by the (Országos Munkabiztonsági és Munkaügyi Főfelügyelőség) Hungarian Labour Inspectorate.

Type tests of vehicles and supervision of road, rail and air transportation is carried out by the (Közlekedési Főfelügyelet ) General Inspectorate of Transport. Complaints concerning the quality of maintenance work are investigated by the inspectorate competent for the area.

Problems of consumers concerning the quality of repair work on electronic, telecommunication and electro-acoustic equipment will be investigated by the (Magyar Elektrotechnikai Ellenőrző Intézet Kft.) Hungarian Institute for Testing and Certification of Electrical Equipment Ltd.

Complaints concerning repair services in the construction industry may be communicated to (Építésügyi Minőségellenőrző Innovációs Rt) Non-Profit Company for Quality Control and Innovation in Building.

With respect to other repair and maintenance services, complainers may turn to (KERMI Minőségellenőrző és Szolgáltató Kft.) KERMI Testing and Quality Control Ltd.

Claims concerning wine quality may be sent to the (Országos Borminősítő Intézet) National Institute for Wine Qualification.

National Association for Consumer Protection

Nevertheless, complainant may turn (in person as well) to the Consumer Advisory Bureau working within the GICP, where they will be assisted by experts in the pursuance of their claims.

Consumers might also notify the GICP of their problem by filling in the form on its web pages.

Should the complaint fall outside the authority of the GICP, it will, pursuant to applicable regulations, be forward it to the competent authority.

Our mail address:

General Inspectorate for Consumer Protection
(Fogyasztóvédelmi Főfelügyelőség)
1088 Budapest, József krt. 6.
Web: www.fvf.hu
E-mail: fvf@fvf.hu