Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 21 May 2019 — European Commission v Hungary

(Case C-235/17) (1)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Article 63 TFEU - Free movement of capital - Article 17 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Right to property - National legislation extinguishing, without compensation, the rights of usufruct over agricultural and forestry land acquired by legal persons or by natural persons who cannot demonstrate a close family tie with the owner of the land)

(2019/C 255/03)

Language of the case: Hungarian

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: L. Malferrari and L. Havas, Agents)

Defendant: Hungary (represented by: M.Z. Fehér, Agent)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Declares that, by adopting Paragraph 108(1) of mező- és erdőgazdasági földek forgalmáról szóló 2013. évi CXXII. törvénnyel összefüggő egyes rendelkezésekről és átmeneti szabályokról szóló 2013. évi CCXII. törvény (Law No CCXII of 2013 laying down various provisions and transitional measures concerning Law No CXXII of 2013 on transactions in agricultural and forestry land) and thereby cancelling, by operation of law, the rights of usufruct over agricultural and forestry land located in Hungary that are held, directly or indirectly, by nationals of other Member States, Hungary has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 63 TFEU in conjunction with Article 17 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

2.	Orders Hungary to pay the costs.

---

(1)  OJ C 412, 4.12.2017.