Hatóköre

Hatóköre is a Hungarian term that denotes the scope or range of a thing’s applicability, effect, or authority. It describes the domain within which rules, decisions, devices, or organizations are operative or relevant.

The word is formed from ható, meaning effective, and kör, meaning circle or realm. It is commonly used in legal, administrative, and technical language to indicate where a rule or action applies.

In legal and governmental contexts, hatóköre refers to the geographic, subject-matter, or procedural limits of a regulation, decision, or authority. For example, a law may have a hatóköre limited to a certain country or to a specific group of people. In organizational settings, it describes the sphere of competence or jurisdiction, i.e., what an agency or official can lawfully do.

In technical or policy contexts, hatóköre can describe the operational range of a device, system, or program, such as the geographic reach of a service or the effectiveness range of a sensor.

Notes: hatóköre is related to but distinct from hatáskör (competence to act) and hatály (validity or enforceability). In some contexts érvényességi kör (scope of applicability) is used synonymously, but hatóköre emphasizes where something is applicable or operative rather than who may act.

See also: hatáskör, hatály, érvényességi kör.