Gál said the government is aiming to increase the international recognition of the national spirit, as well as to raise its market competitiveness and export potential, Hungarian news agency MTI reported.
On April 29, the European Commission closed an infringement procedure against Hungary related to excise tax rules for pálinka, after it found that the new excise tax law, in force from the beginning of 2016, is in line with European Union rules.
In 2015, Hungary introduced a health tax of HUF 20–900 per liter on spirits, dependent on alcohol content. Pálinka and spirits containing at least seven kinds of medicinal herbs are exempt from the tax.