News & Updates
Announcements about c1 cafeteria development, regulatory changes and Codebase Kft. company news.
The 2027 budget: cafeteria rules stay put, the minimum wage will set the limits
The 2027 budget presented on Monday leaves employer cafeteria untouched: the SZÉP Card allowance and the range and charges of benefits are unchanged. The limits therefore hinge on the minimum wage, where concrete talks began on Tuesday and a rise well below 14% is expected. This article shows why, with the 9% income tax, even a smaller gross rise can deliver more net pay — and what that means for cafeteria limits tied to the minimum wage.
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Cafeteria 2027: looking back and ahead – what changed this year, and what can we expect next year?
For cafeteria benefits, 2026 was a year of stability: the public charges did not change, the SZÉP Card allowance stayed at HUF 450,000 a year, and the new items were targeted additions. Here’s a summary of what was new this year, what stayed the same and what is known so far about the 2027 rules — and why planning is worth starting now despite the uncertainty.
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Pay planning for 2027: what should employers focus on now?
The 2027 pay rise budget has not been decided yet, but anyone who waits until December will be scrambling in January. This article covers what we know about the minimum wage and the guaranteed wage minimum, why the gap at the bottom of the pay scale is closing, what to watch for in employer charges, benefits and pay transparency — plus a checklist for the rest of the year.
Read more →MOL Bubi is back – the public bike pass can return to the cafeteria offering
Community bike use dropped out of the cafeteria offering at the start of the year when the public bike-sharing system was suspended. The Budapest service restarted on 3 August with a new operator, a new fleet and electrically assisted e-Bubi bikes, so this popular tax-exempt benefit can be offered again. Here’s what is available now, what the passes cost, and the one condition the tax exemption hinges on: the employer itself must order and provide the service.
Read more →Digital SZÉP Card: everything worth knowing about mobile wallet payments
All three issuers — OTP Bank, K&H and MBH Bank — now let you pay from your SZÉP Card balance with a smartphone or smartwatch. Digitalisation is not a new product: the same benefit simply becomes available in a more convenient, contactless form. Here’s how payment works in practice, how the banks’ solutions differ — who can digitalise a secondary card and who cannot — and what to watch for in everyday use.
Read more →The redesigned c1 cafeteria system is here!
The new system is more convenient than ever and fully responsive — it works effortlessly on computer, tablet and mobile alike.
Read more →The completely redesigned C1 Cafeteria system is arriving soon
We are proud to announce that the completely redesigned C1 Cafeteria system is arriving soon — with a fresh, clean interface that is always at hand. The new system brings a modern, fast and even simpler experience for managing fringe benefits, backed by the same reliability you trust. Stay tuned to our system announcements — we’ll be back soon with more details and updates!
Read more →Summer is here — don't let your SZÉP Card balance melt away!
The state of emergency ended in May 2026, and with it the transitional rule on unused SZÉP Card balances lapsed. The earlier end-of-May usage deadline is back, and the penalty system has changed: instead of a one-off deduction, unused balances may now face a monthly charge (up to 3% of the remaining balance, depending on the provider). Here’s what employees and employers should watch for.
Read more →Minimum wage increase 2026: how do cafeteria thresholds change?
The 11% minimum wage increase effective 1 January 2026 (gross HUF 322,800) affects several cafeteria thresholds. Tax-free limits for cultural, sports and zoo tickets are now HUF 322,800/year each, while the small-value gift cap rose to HUF 32,280 per occasion. Here's what to watch for in 2026 benefit declarations.
Read more →c1 cafeteria is ready for 2026
From 1 January, c1 cafeteria includes all 2026 regulatory changes: updated minimum-wage-based thresholds, revised small-value gift limits and up-to-date calculators. Clients can start the declaration process with the new parameters — no manual adjustments needed.
New in 2025: Active Hungarians sub-account and housing support
Act LV of 2024 introduced two important new elements to the cafeteria system: the SZÉP Card Active Hungarians sub-account (HUF 120,000/year) and housing support for employees under 35 (HUF 1,800,000/year). c1 cafeteria fully supports both.
SZÉP Card balance usable for home renovation in 2025
One of the most notable changes in 2025 is that SZÉP Card balances may now be used for home renovation — up to 50% of the sum of the 1 January balance and amounts transferred during the year. The c1 cafeteria system automatically calculates the available limit.
SZÉP Card taxation has never been this favourable!
A government decree drastically reduced SZÉP Card tax burdens. From 22 April to 30 June 2020, employers only had to pay 15% PIT with no social contribution tax. It may be worth accelerating SZÉP Card payments into this preferential period.
Read more →Hungary's most popular cafeteria benefits in 2016
For the Figyelő weekly, we prepared an analysis of cafeteria benefit popularity based on the latest 2016 data, highlighting trends over the past 5 years. The SZÉP Card and Erzsébet voucher continue their overwhelming dominance — 40 Ft of every 100 Ft goes to SZÉP Card.
Read more →Codebase Kft. launches payroll services
We are pleased to announce that from 2015, Codebase Kft. also offers full payroll services. By combining cafeteria management and payroll under one roof, clients benefit from simpler administration and more efficient collaboration.
Read more →Favourable change in 2016 cafeteria regulations
Unlike previous years of tightening, 2016 brought a single change — and it's a positive one for both employers and employees.
Read more →Is your cafeteria software ready for 2015?
From 2015, the PIT Act introduces a HUF 200,000 cap on fringe benefits outside the SZÉP Card. The c1 cafeteria's latest version is fully prepared for the new rules.
Hungary's most popular cafeteria benefits in 2014
Analysis based on over 30,000 employees' 2014 cafeteria declarations in the c1 system, prepared for Figyelő weekly.
Read more →Complimentary tickets to Personal Hungary exhibition
Visit our C06 stand at the 10th Personal Hungary HR Management Exhibition on 9–10 October 2013 at SYMA Hall, Budapest. Try c1 cafeteria and Attendance Tracking live!
Full cafeteria operation with 34 different tasks
Our full-service cafeteria operation continues to grow in popularity. When outsourcing, we handle up to 34 different administrative tasks for your cafeteria system.
Discover our time & attendance system too!
Our third-generation Attendance Tracking system offers a modern, fully browser-based, self-service solution for absence management, time accounting and shift planning.
Read more →Can traditional meal vouchers still be given with normal taxation?
This question comes up frequently around the turn of the year. New regulations have complicated the picture somewhat.
Auto-generated SZÉP Card top-up files for all three providers
SZÉP Cards play a prominent role in 2012 fringe benefit systems. Our latest feature automates the generation of top-up files for all three SZÉP Card providers.
c1 cafeteria is ready for 2012!
The 2012 cafeteria regulations were finalised at the very end of November. We're pleased to announce that c1 cafeteria is already prepared for the 2012 rules.
Summary of 2012 cafeteria rules
The final vote on 21 November still delivered several surprises regarding the 2012 cafeteria regulatory framework.
Read more →2012 cafeteria draft submitted — time for companies to plan
On 14 October, a tax law amendment draft including cafeteria regulations was submitted to Parliament.
Read more →We've started preparing c1 cafeteria for 2012!
Major changes are expected in cafeteria regulations for 2012. We're continuously monitoring developments and preparing the c1 system.
Error messages due to certificate renewal
We renewed the production system's SSL certificate over the weekend. Previously bookmarked login pages may display a certificate error.
c1 cafeteria is ready for 2011!
We prepared the 2011 version of c1 cafeteria simultaneously with the legislative decision. You can start 2011 employee declarations right away!
Parliament approved the 2011 cafeteria regulations
The 2011 tax law changes were approved on 16 November. Overall, cafeteria conditions improved significantly, which may help these systems spread further.
Read more →New sports pass vouchers now in c1 cafeteria
Thanks to the law amendment effective 19 August 2010, sports event tickets and passes up to HUF 50,000 can now be accounted for as tax-free benefits.
Unmissable cafeteria conferences in November!
Learn about the impact of 2011 tax law changes on cafeteria and meet key players at this year's two premier professional conferences.
2010 Deloitte CE Technology Fast 50 award
Codebase Kft. was named one of only 10 Hungarian companies on the Deloitte Fast 50 list in 2010, reflecting our commitment to cutting-edge technology.
"Cafeteria System of the Year 2010" award with c1 cafeteria support
Our partner Cafeteria TREND magazine launched an award to recognise companies operating the best cafeteria systems.
Reduce the risks of cafeteria software implementation!
Our "Best Software Guarantee" service helps reduce the risks of software selection and implementation.
Read more →"Cafeteria Software Survey" results are in
Half of employers manage fringe benefits in Excel, 15.3% on paper. Professional software is used primarily by larger organisations.
"Cafeteria Software Survey" has launched
Employers use a wide variety of methods for cafeteria administration — from specialised software to custom Excel spreadsheets.
More than 15,000 users
Despite 2010 tax changes not favouring cafeteria growth, c1 cafeteria achieved significant user base expansion, surpassing 15,000 active users.
Partnership with IDS Scheer Hungária Kft.
IDS is a leading provider of process-based business solutions. The partnership aims to strengthen c1 cafeteria's institutional client base.
c1 cafeteria is now available online
Professional cafeteria administration is no longer a privilege of large corporations. Small and mid-sized companies can now easily adopt a flexible cafeteria system within days.
c1 cafeteria v4: completely renewed
A full technology refresh using rich client and AJAX technologies, making the user interface more polished, ergonomic and user-friendly than ever.
Partnership with Accor Services Kft.
Accor Services, Hungary's leading voucher distributor, will offer the online version of c1 cafeteria to its corporate clients.
More than 10,000 users
The number of active c1 cafeteria users surpassed 10,000.
Full cafeteria operation service launched
We launched a comprehensive cafeteria operation service for clients who prefer to outsource all cafeteria administration tasks.
c1 cafeteria v3 released
The system was enhanced with numerous new features and improved configurability, enabling companies to set up the system independently.
c1 cafeteria v2: fully automated cafeteria processing
A complete technology shift to .NET foundations to modernise the system. Our clients continue to be innovative enterprise-class organisations.
c1 cafeteria was born
Commissioned by the Hungarian subsidiary of a multinational company with thousands of employees, c1 cafeteria (then called Codebase Cafeteria) was created. Even the first version was fully browser-based with employee self-service capabilities — a market first.
Want to try the c1 cafeteria system?
Request a personalized demo — we’ll show you how benefits administration becomes easier for your company.