Gradual development and long term of growth have been observed in e-Commerce in Hungary over the last 3-5
years. Turnover of HUF 273 billion (approximately €910 million) was realised in the e-Commerce sector in 2014,
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which amounted to an increase of 26% compared with the previous year. However, the turnover of e24
Commerce was only 3.7% of total commerce. Individuals ordering goods or services online amounted to 32%
of the population – which puts Hungary to 20th position in the EU – and 42% of internet users in 2014 which is
25
also 20th place among the EU28.
The turnover from e-Commerce was 32% among large enterprises (3rd place in the EU), but it only 7% from
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e-Commerce of SMEs (only 16th place in EU).
Hungary is among the first countries in Central Europe to formulate its cyber security strategy, which focuses
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on a unique model of cooperation between state and non-state actors. The National Cyber Security Strategy
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of Hungary (NCSS) was adopted in 2013, enacted by Government Decision No. 1139/2013. The document is
based on the foundations of EU and NATO cyber security principles and follows the mainstream take on cyber
security strategies (values, environment, objectives, tasks, and tools). The document uses a comprehensive
approach: it declares cooperation between state and non-state actors; military and law enforcement; and
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economic and political stakeholders. Beyond analysing the cyber environment and clarifying the priorities, the
NCSS also provides for the establishment of the highest political coordination body, the National Cyber
Security Coordination Council (see section 3.1).
One year after the adoption of the NCSS, the draft of National Cyber Security Action Plan was finalised by the
relevant working groups, but the Plan itself has not yet been officially adopted. The document was prepared
with the involvement of governmental officials and private sector experts. The Plan focuses on the following
main areas: organising the coordination of operational work; building and managing international relations;
research and development; improving governmental IT projects; and education.
According to the National Cyber Security Strategy: ‘to promote the free and secure use of the cyberspace,
Hungary declares the following objectives, to be achieved by aligning the interests of national security, efficient
crisis management and user protection’:
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eNet. ‘Hungarian e-commerce volume hits all-time high’. <http://www.enet.hu/news/hungarian-e-commerce-volumehits-all-time-high/?lang=en>.
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ibid.
25
EU Digital Agenda, 'Country Ranking Table, On A Thematic Group of Indicators — Digital Agenda Scoreboard', 2014.
<http://digital-agenda-data.eu/charts/country-ranking-table-on-a-thematic-group-of-indicators#chart={"indicatorgroup":"ecommerce","ref-area":"HU","time-period":"2014"}>.
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ibid.
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Réka Szemerkényi and Ferenc Suba, ‘Public Private Partnership in Cybersecurity – The Hungarian Cooperative Model and
Experience’ Cyber Security Review Summer Issue (2014): 28.
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1139/2013 (21 March) Government Decision on the National Cyber Security Strategy of Hungary.
<http://www.nbf.hu/anyagok/Government%20Decision%20No%201139_2013%20on%20the%20National%20Cyber%20Sec
urity%20Strategy%20of%20Hungary.docx>.
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Suba Ferenc, ‘Nemzeti Kiberbiztonsági Stratégia,’ in A nemzetbiztonság általános elmélete, ed. Dobák Imre (Budapest:
Nemzeti Közszolgálati Egyetem, 2014), 112. <https://opac.uninke.hu/webview?infile=&sobj=8964&source=webvd&cgimime=application%2Fpdf%0D%0A>.
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