Country Profiles

Hungarian National Council for SD

Nemzeti Fenntartható Fejlodési Tanács NFFT

Contact

Name: Ms. Korbuly-Biacs Rita

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: +36 1 441 6177

Address:  

Nemzeti Fenntartható Fejlodési Tanács (NFFT)

Kossuth tér 1-3.

H-1357 Budapest, Hungary

Website: www.nfft.hu

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Mission Statement

  • to reconsider relations dominant within society, in the spirit of fairness, solidarity, responsibility for each other, understanding, peace, co-operation and acceptance;
  • to rise above individual, short-term interests, to focus on basic values arising from human dignity and community, longer term interests extending over several generations;
  • to think based on a systems approach, according to which the problems in our lives are entwined, and that is exactly why they cannot be solved by today's methods, in a segregated system of institutions, because also the individual is part of the global earthly system; and
  • to establish a national consensus regarding the necessity to adjust out consumption needs to the extent of possibilities provided by the environment because society may only take as much from its environment as natural processes are able to compensate for. '

Role and Functions

    • advising on government policy or making policy recommendations, including NSDS; and
    • stakeholder engagement.

 

Recent Activities

The Council created working groups to provide professional background for the activities. Members of these working groups are not only NFFT members but also ‘well known, independent, certified experts of the given field’:

    • Scientific Working group – gives advices directly to the Council and coordinating the work of the other working groups;
    • Energy and Climate Working group;
    • Rural Development and Agriculture Working group;
    • Water Policy Working group - common working group with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences;
    • Public Society Working group - commoon working group with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations; and
    • Healthcare Working group.

Council meetings are regulated by the Parliamentary resolutions and should hold 4 meetings a year.

Current and Future Activities:

  • National Sustainable Development Strategy;
  • Sustainability Report about Hungary's status;
  • Energy and climate related issues;
  • Rural and agricultural development; and
  • Strategic role of water andf the conservation of good quality and quantity of water.

 

Resources

Concept for the National Transition to Sustainability (16 May 2012)

An Introduction to the new Hungarian Sustainable Development Strategy (10 Oct. 2012)

National Framework Strategy on Sustainable Development of Hungary (28 Mar. 2013)

 

 

Composition and Membership

The National Council for Sustainable Development was established by the National Assembly in 2008. After the parliamentary elections in April 2010, a Parliamentary Committee on SD was established too.

Chair: Dr. László Kövér, Speaker of the Parliament.

Secretary-general: Dr. Gabor Bartus.

As it is set by the Parliamentary Resolution 57/2008, the Chairperson of the Council is always the current Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament. The Council has four Co-Chairs, delegated by the Government, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the MP Groups of the Opposition Parties in the Parliament, and civil society organisations.

The Council comprises impressive representation of various stakeholders and of the parliamentary parties.

The full composition includes:

  • MP groups of the parties in Parliament (1 per MP group);
  • the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (3 delegates),  chambers of commerce (2 delegates);
  • the churches (2 delegates), trade unions (2 delegates);
  • employers’ organizations (2 delegates);
  • municipal associations (2 delegates);
  • the Federation of Technical and Scientific Societies (1 delegate);
  • the Hungarian Rector’s Conference (1 delegate);
  • NGOs operating in the social or health-care spheres (2 delegates);
  • organisations representing national and ethnic minorities (2 delegates);
  • environmental and nature conservation NGOs (2 delegates);
  • NGOs representing social classes and age groups (2 delegates);
  • NGOs from the cultural and educational sectors (2 delegates).

The NFFT has a secretariat with five staff members.

 

HUNGARIAN COMMISSIONER FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

ALAPVETŐ JOGOK BIZTOSÁNAK (AJB) 

Contact

Name: Mr. Trombitas Gábor

Position: Deputy Commissioner for Fundamental Rights responsible for the protection of the interests of future generations

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone:  +36 1 475 71 23

Address:  

Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights

22 Nador Street

H-1051 Budapest, Hungary

Website: http://www.obh.hu/

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Mission Statement

The Deputy Commissioner defends the interests of future generations, as stated in Act CXI of 2011 on the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Section 3 (1): 'The Deputy Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, responsible for the protection of the interests of future generations, shall monitor the advocacy of the interests of future generations, and 

  • shall regularly inform the Commissioner of their experience regarding the advocacy of the interests of future generations,
  • shall draw the attention of the Commissioner to any risk that could infringe the rights affecting a larger group of individuals,
  • may propose that the Commissioner institutes proceedings ex officio,
  • shall participate in the inquiries of the Commissioner, and
  • may propose that the Commissioner turns to the Constitutional Court.'

Composition and Membership 

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights was created in 2008.

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights acts as a Secretariat of a Parliamentary Office.

The Deputy Commissioner’s activity is supported by a secretariat of five employees: 1 head of secretariat 1 assistant, 2 experts and a driver.

Role and Functions

  • Scrutinising government policy;
  • Designing government policy, including the National Strategy for Sustainable Development;
  • Advising on government policy and making policy recommendations;
  • Undertaking studies or research projects to support decisions and recommendations;
  • Stakeholder engagement regarding specific problems; and
  • Capacity building with civil society organisations.

Recent Activities

    • Conference on the fundamental legal implications of the conservation of biodiversity;
    • Reviewing the draft act on forests and forestry; and
    • Initiatites a procedure at the Constitutional Court to cancel certain provision of the act on construction on the ground of it being unconstitutional.