Initiative from Hungary

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A new dispute about Austria's border controls has flared up from an unusual direction - a Hungarian law firm is now suing the Republic due to the resulting waiting times. The outcome could also affect the future of border controls.

The law firm NZP Nagy Legal, based in Hungary, is suing the Republic of Austria over the border controls at the Austro-Hungarian border. The civil trial on the official liability claim will take place next Wednesday at the Eisenstadt Regional Court, confirmed court president Karl Mitterhöfer on Tuesday in a report by "ORF Burgenland".

Violation of EugGH decision?
The German-Hungarian law firm is claiming that the waiting times at the border due to the extraordinary controls for its own lawyers, which were introduced in 2015 and have been repeatedly extended, are damaging its freedom to travel. It is referring to an ECJ ruling on border controls in the Schengen area.

NZP Nagy Legal also took action against the restrictions at the Schattendorf border crossing (Mattersburg district), which has only been accessible as a pedestrian zone with a special permit since December 2023. However, the municipality's approach was confirmed by the Eisenstadt Regional Court and the Vienna Higher Regional Court.