The Hungarian Branch Association of the International Federation for European Law (FIDE) was established 15 years ago. On the occasion of this anniversary, a conference was organised by the Editorial Board of the Scientific Journal “Európai Tükör” (“European Mirror”) of the National University of Public Service and by the FIDE’s Hungarian Branch Association at the Faculty of Law of Eötvös Loránd University on 17 October 2018.
At the conference, the President of the Curia of Hungary gave a lecture entitled “European law in the Hungarian courts’ practice”. Dr. Péter Darák quoted Mr. Koen Lenaerts, President of the European Court of Justice and told that, on the website of the Judicial Network of the European Union, the majority of Internet users had been looking for the decisions of national courts. In President Darák’s viewpoint, the above tendency shows that there is no European law without the national justice systems. The Hungarian Chief Justice pointed out that European law could be enforced only by being duly applied by the national courts. In his lecture, he presented some Supreme Court and Curia decisions, rendered between the years 2005 and 2016, that had referred to certain EU pieces of legislation and had reflected the latest development of the Hungarian courts’ caselaw. President Darák emphasised the importance of the judicial dialogue between the Curia of Hungary and the European Court of Justice within the framework of preliminary ruling proceedings. He stressed that such proceedings showed how European law could become an integral part of the national legal system.
The conference was opened by Prof. Dr. Gyula Bándi, President of the FIDE’s Hungarian Branch Association, Deputy Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and Ombudsman for Future Generations. At the event, various lectures were delivered, inter alia, by Dr. Tamás Sulyok, President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary and Dr. János Martonyi, University Lecturer and former Foreign Minister. Minister of Justice Dr. László Trócsányi was represented by Dr. János Bóka, State Secretary for EU and International Judicial Cooperation at the Ministry of Justice.
The International Federation for European Law (in French: Fédération Internationale pour le Droit Européen, FIDE) is an independent, international association that was set up in Brussels in 1964 with the aim of creating a supranational umbrella organisation to connect the various national associations, established in the Member States of the European Communities, dealing with European law. As stated at its foundation more than 50 years ago, the Federation’s activities have been devoted to the study and development of the law and institutions of the European Communities. The FIDE’s Hungarian Branch Association was established in 2003.
Two years ago, the XXVII FIDE Congress took place in Budapest, you may find further information about that event here.
Budapest, the 18th of October 2018
Press Secretariat of the Curia of Hungary
