Adequate levels of social protection benefits in Hungary

Country: Hungary
Body: European Committee of Social Rights
Case: Review of Hungary's compliance with Article 12 of the European Social Charter
Case number: Conclusions of the Committee - 2009/def/HUN/
Year of judgement: 2010
PDF of decision

Summary:
The European Committee of Social Rights assess the adequacy of the benefits provided under the different branches of social security in Hungary in light of Article 12(1) of the European Social Charter. In light with its previous conclusions, notes that social security benefits are adequate when they are income-replacement benefits, which means according to the Committee that their level should be fixed such as to stand in reasonable proportion to the previous income and it should never fall below the poverty threshold defined as 50% of median equivalized income and as calculated on the basis of the Eurostat at-risk-of-poverty threshold value.

The Committee concludes that the situation in Hungary is not in conformity with Article 12§1 of the Charter on the ground that the minimum monthly old age, survivor’s, orphan’s and disability pensions as well as the minimum monthly job-seeker aid and entrepreneurial benefit are manifestly inadequate.

Social Protection and Human Rights