Index – Domestic – The Hungarian state takes legal action against Brussels to protect the motorway contract

Brussels repeatedly applies double standards to the detriment of Hungary. He has now initiated breach of duty proceedings in connection with the highway concession meeting the highest requirements, which he has granted to many other member states for investments of a similar content, reports the Government Information Center.

The announcement claims that the same thing happened in Spain, where infringement proceedings were initiated due to two highway concessions. The strategic goal of the Hungarian State is the operation and development of a high-quality, sustainable road network in order to promote the development of the economy and the mobilization of society. This strategy fulfills the following objectives:

• The extension of the expressways to the national borders, the full construction of the west-east and west-south corridors and the increase of their capacity. Operation of the road network at the Western European level, strengthening and ensuring Hungary’s transit role.
• Access to expressways within 30 minutes should be ensured for the majority of the population, thereby improving the mobilization of society and accessibility to economic centers.
• County seats and towns with county status are connected by a high-quality expressway network.
• Generating significant social benefits for Hungarian society with shorter journey times and safer transport.

The conclusion of the new concession contract, based on which the concessionaire undertook the long-term, high-quality operation and maintenance of the expressways, as well as the construction of 317 kilometers of new highways and the expansion of 265 kilometers of highways within 10 years, for the realization of which European Union due to the lack of resources, the Hungarian State would not be able to.

Based on the European and international highway concession contracts examined during the preparation of the conclusion of the concession contract, it can be established that the length of the majority of European highway concession contracts is typically in the 26-35 year range, so the 35-year duration of the Hungarian concession is fully in line with international practice. There are many European motorway concession contracts with a duration of around 50-80 years, the government said in a statement.

If we break it down by country, it can be seen that one of the most widespread solutions in Spain is the concession for the construction and operation of highways. For most of the 45 Spanish roads, deadlines of 30-35 years are used, but there are also 55 and 75-year periods.

There are 28 concessions running or having run in the UK, most with a duration of 30-35 years.

Concessions are also popular in Germany, where highway sections have been built this way 21 times. These are, without exception, entitlements for 30 years.

Three out of 12 concession contracts from France – A19, A28 (Rouen-Alencon), A41 – granted the right to the concessionaire for a period longer than 60 years, and the other four for 55 years. Outsourcing is not uncommon in Italy, and there is also an example of a 50-year term, such as Milan’s second ring road, the A58.

In addition, Polish, Slovak, Belgian, Austrian, Irish, Portuguese and Australian concession road constructions have also taken place, so it can be said that it is a widely used model.

According to the government’s statement, the cabinet is on the side of the development of the Hungarian economy in order to raise the quality of life and the standard of living of the Hungarian people, therefore it will take all necessary legal steps to protect the concession contract, which was legally concluded and attacked for unfounded reasons by Brussels.