Digital Citizenship Revolution: Hungary’s Program Launches in 2024
Hungary Introduces New Law for Digital Citizenship
The Hungarian government recently made an important announcement in the Hungarian Gazette, the country’s official paper. The new law aims to empower all citizens to conduct their most common personal affairs digitally by the year 2026.
According to the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), the government’s information centre, KTK, stated that state services will shift their focus from administration to adapting to the various life situations of citizens.
The National Digital Citizenship Program was accepted by the Hungarian government in December 2022, and over the past year, they have been working on creating the necessary legal framework, assessing the online platforms of institutions, and studying user behavior. They have also established technological and service standards for the initiative.
The new law will bring about the launch of digitalized personal data services, eSignature, and eIdentification on 1st September 2024. This means that citizens will be able to verify their identity using a mobile app and sign documents with only an electronic signature.
In 2025, the government plans to introduce consent-based data provision, allowing citizens to access various online services after a digital identification. By 2026, the system will further expand to include electronic postal services, document operations, and payment services.
The government aims to develop a new mobile app in compliance with the EU’s eIDAS 2 regulations, providing all citizens with a universally applicable and unique identification for streamlined information flow.
A core principle of this development is recognizing that citizens are the owners of their public data and can decide whether to allow its use.
The Digital Citizenship Program (DAP) will be a cloud-based application, optional for citizens, while older conventional methods for accessing services will also remain available.
This new law represents a significant step forward for Hungary in embracing the digital age and ensuring that its citizens have the necessary tools and options for conducting their personal affairs digitally.
