The Commission has decided to move on to the next stage in the infringement proceedings against Hungary concerning its failure to respect the freedom of establishment. After sending a letter of formal notice to Hungary in 2022, followed by a reasoned opinion in January 2023, the European Commission decided on Friday 14 July, to refer the matter to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The EU has criticised Hungary for introducing fixed prices for certain construction products in 2021 and imposing fines when these fixed prices are not respected. In addition, it obliges companies to maintain a certain production level for construction products. According to the Commission, this does not comply with the freedom of establishment deriving from Article 39 of the TFEU.
In addition, Hungary failed to notify the Commission of its various measures before their adoption. It, therefore, also breached the rules of the 2015 Single Market Transparency Directive. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)