Act No. LVII of 2015 concerning energy efficiency.

This Act comprises nine chapters. The purpose of this Act is to identify actions aiming to achive national energy efficiency goals and, to this end, to ensure the comprehensive energy supply and energy use efficiency, to reduce energy costs for end users and preserve environmental resources for future generations. Chapter I contains general provisions. Chapter II lays down the duties of the central administration in implementing energy efficiency goals and addresses strategic documents. Chapter III concerns tasks of the central administration in relation with energy efficiency. Chapter IV sets out the energy efficiency tasks of public institutions. Chapter V contains improving measures of energy efficiency for energy saving at the end user level. Chapter VI concerns the efficient running of various facilities, thermal energy supplying networks and industrial plants producing waste heat. Chapter VII contains rules on consumer and market actors information. Chapter VIII provides for energy audit. Chapter IX lays down final provisions.
The Act establishes structured obligations and operational schemes targeting both energy providers and large-scale consumers to drive verifiable savings. Under Chapter V, it introduces the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (Energiahatékonysági Kötelezettségi Rendszer or EKR), requiring energy retail companies and fuel suppliers to achieve measurable energy savings among end-users through certified improvement measures. Additionally, the Act outlines specific mandates for industrial facilities, district heating supply networks, and data centers, setting requirements for waste heat recovery, the adoption of high-efficiency cogeneration (CHP), and the mandatory deployment of building automation and control systems across public and commercial infrastructure.
To ensure compliance and continuous monitoring, the Act mandates periodic energy audits for non-SME enterprises (nagyvállalatok) and major energy consumers under Chapter VIII. Large businesses must either undergo certified mandatory energy audits every four years or maintain an accredited ISO 50001 energy management system. Enforcement, registry oversight, and market monitoring are entrusted to the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH), which is empowered to conduct compliance checks, verify reported energy savings, and impose administrative fines for non-compliance.