The Hungarian government has proposed a new usage-based Internet tax that would be capped at a monthly fee of 700 forints (about 2.20 EUR) for individual subscribers and 5,000 forints (15.90 EUR) for business organizations. In case service providers should decide to compensate tax charges by increasing fees, increased service fees will be further expanded by the value-added tax.

According to the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, the imposition of this public burden violates citizens' rights to information, freedom of expression and privacy, and undermines the equality of opportunities.

For most of us, the Internet represents the most important means of communication. Our correspondence with colleagues, offices and friends often flows through the Internet. People who - due to technological or financial obstacles - have no access to the Internet suffer significant disadvantages concerning both their private relationships and participation in public life. The lack of information makes people vulnerable and inhibits their participation in community life, preventing them from exercising any kind of control over measures impacting their lives. Poverty has lately become a severe and widespread problem in Hungary, one that should be fought against, in part, though the Internet: its use represents an important tool for the integration of excluded social groups, while it is also indispensable for quality education and teleworking.

Therefore, any financial obstacles to Internet access should be reduced or eliminated.

The Internet tax would negatively impact the public activity of citizens and restrict the access to and dissemination of information and, in this way, suppress public debate. It is equally important to understand that this new form of tax would interfere with citizens' privacy. Its introduction would also inhibit the maintenance of private relationships and entertainment. By imposing a new kind of tax discouraging people from using the Internet, the state would interfere with these kinds of relationships as well.

HCLU firmly believes that the proposed taxation on Internet usage should be repealed. Until this happens, we ask everybody promoting the values of freedom and equality to protest against the introduction of this tax.

Liberties.eu editors’ note: On Friday, October 31, following mass protests in Budapest, Prime Minister Orban announced the withdrawal of the Internet tax draft law.