"In future, the terms "Hungarian Product", Domestic Product" and "Domestically Processed Product" may be included on the labels of foods on a voluntary basis. The use of these categories will not be compulsory, but anyone who includes the term Hungarian Product on his goods must conform to regulations", stated Sándor Fazekas at the producers market held under the arcade of the Ministry of Rural Development of Friday.

The Ministerial Decree will regulate the terms and conditions under which these three categories may be included on the packaging of foods.

The Hungarian Product classification, or any other statement that claims the food is of Hungarian origin, may only be included on goods if it has been produced in Hungary using Hungarian ingredients. As such, plant-based foods must have been cultivated in Hungary, plants that grow in the wild must have been collected, treated and packaged in Hungary. Animals used in animal-based products must have been born here and reared and processed within the country's borders; fish must have been caught in domestic waters and wild game need to have been hunted in Hungary.

The term Domestic Product may be used on foods if at least 50 percent of its ingredients are Hungarian and every single step of processing has been performed in Hungary.

The third category is Domestically Processed Products and includes foods that are processed in Hungary but whose ingredients primarily originate from imports.

The Ministry of Rural Development does not specify the use of a compulsory trademark or logo to represent the three categories, and the Ministry does not plan to introduce logos or certification trademarks, but encourages the use of civil trademarks that comply with regulations.

Consumers increasingly search for Hungarian products in the shops. Demand for Hungarian foods is increasing, but consumers often find it difficult to find what they are looking for among the different labels and markings, and for this reason the Ministry prepared the Ministerial Decree "on the use of certain voluntary differential markings on foods" last year. The draft regulation serves to provide better information for consumers.

In compliance with EU regulations, the Ministry of Rural Development sent the draft of the Hungarian Product Act to Brussels at the end of last year requesting completion of the notification process. The European Union took exception to some points of the document, but this week the Government decided that the new regulations are now fit to pass the EU test and so the regulations will now be introduced onto the Hungarian market.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)