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Abstract
On 28 August 2018, the Constitutional Court of Hungary delivered a milestone decision [Decision No. 13/2018. (IX. 4.) AB] in relation to the protection of groundwater with reference to the general protection of the environment as a constitutionally protected value. The President of the Republic pointed out in his petition to the Constitutional Court that two sections of the draft legislation are contrary to the Fundamental Law by violating Articles B(1), P(1) and XXI(1) of the Fundamental Law by permitting water abstraction with much lower standards. Adopted by the majority along with concurring and dissenting opinions, the decision is an important judicial achievement in the general framework of constitutional water and environmental protection. It also confirms the non-derogation principle elaborated by the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court had the opportunity and an ‘open mind’ to take into consideration numerous sources of scientific professional evidence on the stock of water and groundwater abstraction. The decision was acclaimed for its environmental orientation, and even more, for developing the 25-year old standards of constitutional review in environmental matters by elaborating on the implicit substance of several articles enshrined in the new Fundamental Law (e.g. Articles P and XXI).
Hungarian Yearbook of International Law and European Law |
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Article | The Hungarian Constitutional Court’s Decision on the Protection of GroundwaterDecision No. 13/2018. (IX. 4.) AB of the Constitutional Court of Hungary |
Keywords | environmental impact assessment, precautionary principle, non-derogation principle, Constitutional Court of Hungary, groundwater |
Authors | Gábor Kecskés |
DOI | 10.5553/HYIEL/266627012020008001022 |
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