Decree No. 253 of 1997 (XII. 20.) of the Government on national urban development and building requirements.

The conditions and method of use and parcelling out of lands, and building must be determined by urban development plans and by local building regulations. Urban areas may be divided into built-up areas or non-built-up areas. These areas shall be classified, on the basis of their general use and characteristics, into various land use categories. Among the non-built-up areas are considered green areas, forests, agricultural lands (gardens or general agricultural lands) and water management areas (bed and bank of water courses, lakes, channels, water resources, flood areas, temporary wetlands). This Decree settles down also rules regarding water supply, waste water discharge and rainwater drainage, other public service supply (electricity, gas, etc.) and telecommunication facilities, waste disposal.