Abstract
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Before 1st Oct. 2009, there were two ways for clients to administer their affairs in an electronic way in Hungary: if they were in possession of an electronic signature, they could sign their documents with it, and send it to the authorities directly; or with the help of the so-called “Client Gate” (CG - which is a pair of an ID and a password to the official Hungarian government website – www.magyarorszag.hu).
The two ways mentioned above, were both sumptuous, because e-signature is expensive, and the possibility for the clients, to administer their cases via the CG had to be covered by the own funds of the individual authorities. But as a result of the economical world-crisis, lowering the costs and rationalising the methods have become inevitable. The Hungarian regulation-makers had to form a more efficient and cheaper method, which is on the other hand, accessible to more people.
The electronic way of administration in the Hungarian public administration procedure is now legally equal to any other forms of administration, furthermore it has a priority in any possible cases, which means, that if there is a way, to administer a case electronically, it should also be administered so. The possibility to administer a case electronically may not be denied (from anybody, at any level of administration) in Hungary today, in those cases, which are based on the regulations of the central government; and can be allowed in the cases, which are based on the regulations of the local governments (in both cases through an administrative web-surface provided by the central government – called: central electronic service system).
This method is cheaper for both participants, because they only have to utilise a web-surface, provided by the central government. The services of the system are free of charge for the authorities (in contrary to the former method, where they had to fund the possibility for electronic administration); and part of the services are free for the clients too, while they have to pay for other services (which method is still far cheaper in most cases, than paying the returning costs of an e-signature).
In case the electronic way of the administration is being used today, it may only be done so by means of the CG, the creation of which is free of charge for any natural person. It can be created by a one-time appearance in person at an authority, entitled to create CGs, or if the clients possess an e-signature, they can create it also by means of that. The CG is the elementary method of electronic administration (also called “basic security level identification”; and it should be used, unless a high level regulation (an Act) tells otherwise). With the CG, the clients can upload their documents to a central container area, and the decision is also delivered here (there is an official version of the CG for the authorities, called “Authority Gate” – AG. The authorities, which are obliged by an Act to enter the system, have to have one).
The only weaknesses in this system are the clients themselves, because in this method they are responsible for their CGs not to get in wrong hands, and they have to bear the consequences if it does happen. The system also gives opportunities for higher security level identifications.
As a consequence to the changes in regulations and the technology, the reform of the central system is also an ongoing issue. The operation of the central system is the responsibility of the Hungarian Cabinet, while the technological adequateness of the entering authorities is ensured by the National Communications Authority.
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