Hungary has ratified almost all the major international instruments combating discrimination, with the exception ofProtocol No. 12 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which the country has signed but not yet ratified

The corner stone of the regulation is the general anti-discrimination clause of the Fundamental Law of Hungary adopted in 2011. The general ban on discrimination set forth by this constitutional provision is detailed by the ETA (which has been amended on numerous occasions since 2003, the last amendment being adopted in 2011).

The ETA approaches the issue of scope from the personal, instead of the material aspect. It prohibits any discrimination in the public sector, so with regard to this sector the statute's scope is in fact broader than that of the equality directives.

The specialised body for the promotion of equal treatment irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (Equal Treatment Authority) started its operation on 1 February 2005. The Authority is a public administrative body with the overall responsibility to ensure compliance with the principle of equal treatment. It is a budgetary organ working under the instruction of the Government, supervised by the Minister of Administration and Justice (hereafter: Minister). It however may not be instructed in relation to he exercise of its duties defined in the ETA.