Geographical Indication Registered for Pálinka in the EU and Japan

Hungary Today 2023.09.28.

Under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and Japan, pálinka, a home-made brandy, has been added to the list of 42 EU and Japanese products protected by geographical indications in both regions, writes Világgazdaság.

This is the third time that the list of protected geographical indications in both Japan and the EU has been extended, following the addition of 56 geographical indications in February 2021, and a further 56 in February 2022. The EU-Japan EPA protects agri-food product names against imitation and misuse in both regions.

The agreement brings mutual commercial benefits to the parties and will introduce consumers to authentic products from regions with rich culinary and cultural traditions.

The countries have also decided to add six additional geographical indications from Japan to the list by the end of this year, and to renegotiate a further expansion of the list of protected geographical indications in 2025.

Photo via Facebook/Árpád Pálinka

Japan is the fifth largest market for EU agri-food exports and the main products exported by the EU to Japan include pork, as well as wines and other spirits, cigars and cigarettes, cheeses, chocolate, and other confectionery and other processed agricultural products. The EU imports mainly soups and sauces, vegetable and cereal products used as ingredients from the Far East.

Recently, Borzag pálinka, Sárréti pear pálinka, and Szabolcsi apple pálinka were granted EU protection, thus protecting their places of origin.

Two Iconic Types of Pálinka Added to EU List of Protected Domestic Products

The EU scheme protects agricultural products that originate from a defined geographical area.Continue reading

Fact

The famous Hungarian pálinka is not just a product, but a part of Hungarian tradition and culture. Pálinka is a traditional fruit spirit (or fruit brandy) with origins in the Carpathian Mountains, invented in the Middle Ages. Only fruit spirits mashed, distilled, matured, and bottled in Hungary and similar apricot spirits from four provinces in Austria can be called pálinka. While it may be made out of any locally grown fruit, the most common ones are plums, apricots, apples, pears, and cherries.

Via Világgazdaság, Featured image via Facebook/Nagymamám kertjéből