Next year’s calls for proposals under the Erzsébet programme – ongoing since 2011 – have been issued, receiving government funding of HUF 3.5 billion – announced Tibor Navracsics in Budapest on Tuesday at the conference entitled “Cafeteria 2014” organized by Erzsébet Voucher Trading Company. The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted: from the start, the goal of the Erzsébet programme was to ensure that the profits gained by service providers reach those who have less opportunity for recreation and holidays.
Thanks to the Erzsébet programme — the main feature of which is social responsibility —, around 250 thousand people have had the opportunity to go on a holiday in holiday camps, including 100 thousand children who would have never had the chance to go on vacation otherwise – said Mr. Navracsics.
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Two years after its launch, the Erzsébet voucher is used by more than two million people nationwide, and can be redeemed at 55 thousand acceptance places. The vouchers generated a turnover of HUF 86 billion in 2012 and around HUF 120 billion this year. 250 thousand people have participated in the Erzsébet programme so far; the 62 calls for proposals announced just now are twice as many as in the first year; there will be 50 thematic camps, 6 general calls for proposals and, as a novelty aimed at retired people, proposals for spa and wellness tickets can also be submitted. The Erzsébet programme, which will be three years old next year, is one of the most successful tools of the government to meet its social responsibilities. Next year’s calls for proposals can be viewed on the website of the Erzsébet programme. Proposals can be submitted from 2 January 2014.
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Kristóf Szatmáry, Secretary of State for Economic Regulation of the Ministry for National Economy underlined: besides the flat rate taxation scheme adjusted for the tax benefits provided to families, the second most significant measure of the past few years affecting the tax system has been the transformation of the cafeteria scheme, which benefits people and businesses alike as it reinforces the accommodation and catering sector and tourism, thereby benefiting the Hungarian government as well. By the end of October, the SZÉP card had been used by 886,000 employees of 22,360 employers, with more than HUF 100 billion flowing into the economy since its launch, said the Secretary of State, before he revealed: in the first 10 months after its launch, a HUF 57.1 billion turnover was generated through the SZÉP card, and contracts with around 51 thousand accommodation and catering outlets were concluded.
Kristóf Szatmáry underlined that in the first 9 months of 2013, the SZÉP card accounted for about a quarter of the accommodation revenues generated by domestic visitors: of the HUF 51.8 billion consolidated revenue of Hungarian commercial accommodation establishments, HUF 12.9 billion was generated by the SZÉP card. As an important value added, a considerable part of the spending took place at small and medium-size enterprises in the countryside, stressed Kristóf Szatmáry.
Based on last years’ experiences, the Secretary of State concluded that, with the help of market actors, the cafeteria scheme had undergone a successful transformation that could serve as an example for Europe on how to operate a system which considers social responsibility aspects while functioning on a market basis.
(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)
