On 16 March 2011, with a significant majority the Hungarian National Assembly Parliament adopted the draft act No. T/1941 and the related amending motions submitted by the Ministry of National Development. The act approved by the MPs, among others, transposes a significant part of the legislation of the so-called 3rd energy package of the European Union into Hungarian law.

The most significant components of the 3rd energy package of the European Union include the separation of system managers active in electricity and natural gas industry. The relevant directives provide that if on 3 September 2009, a particular business is a vertically integrated member of a company with ownership title in the transmission system, the Member States must be offered the opportunity to separate ownership, or choose between the establishment of a system manager independent of supply and production interests (Independent System Operator, ISO) or the establishment of an Independent Transmission Operator, ITO. Consequently, following its effective date, the act passed by Parliament yesterday provides for the transposition of all the three separation models into the relevant sectoral regulations. However, it does not require the mandatory precedence of one model over the other; rather the affected businesses are allowed to choose from among the three alternative separation models.

The legislation also requires the transposition of the complete 2009/71/EURATOM of 25 June 2009 establishing a Community framework for the nuclear safety of nuclear installations.

(Ministry of National Development , Department of Communication)