A Five-party consensus has been reached on a bill about the establishment of a National Pálinka Committee (Pálinka Nemzeti Tanács) which is to regulate the production and types of pálinka, and perform quality control functions, writes Gazdasági Rádió, based on a report by MTI. The bill was originally proposed by Fidesz MPs Antal Császár and Sándor Font, and they were joined by two MPs each from the other four Parliamentary factions. The aim of the bill is to create legal protections for pálinka, which the EU acknowledged as a traditional Hungarian product in 2004. Császár hopes that the bill will be passed in May. After that, only liquors made from fruit grown in Hungary and also prepared and bottled in the country can bear the name pálinka .
Császár, who is also the chairman of the National Alliance of Associations of Fruit Pálinka Makers, said they want to achieve that pálinka becomes as well known in other countries as the Italian grappa, the Scottish whisky and the Mexican tequila.
The bill strictly specifies what ingredients and production procedures can be used when making pálinka to prevent liquors of lesser quality from being marketed under the name. In addition, the proposal outlines requirements to be met for calling a liquor kisüsti, aszútörköly, aged pálinka, old pálinka, mixed fruit pálinka, pálinka aged on a fruit bed or honey pálinka liquor.
