"Apricot war" ends

Breakfast directive lifts “jam dictate”

Alexander Bernhuber, a member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), finished what Erwin Pröll started 20 years ago.(Bild: stock.adobe.com, krone.tv, Krone KREATIV)

It is also a success for the "crown" that was achieved at the end of January with the "breakfast directives" in Brussels. Opposition to the European Union's (EU) "jam dictate" began 20 years ago. Recently it has become clear that jam can now be made legally from apricots again. 

Almost exactly 20 years ago, the "Krone", together with Lower Austria's governor Erwin Pröll, declared the "apricot war". The trigger was a ban on the sale of apricot jam issued by the European Union.

According to Brussels regulations, jam should only consist of oranges or lemons, and products made from strawberries or apricots should only be marketed as jam. A Wachau innkeeper even filed a lawsuit - and Pröll took action as a result.

Erwin Pröll: "The top bureaucrats in Europe"
"The people there are the top bureaucrats in Europe. They should take better care of Europe's real problems," explained Pröll. The European "apricot dictate" has now come to an end with the "breakfast guidelines" adopted on January 30th.

Alexander Bernhuber made a decisive contribution to this and completed Erwin Pröll's work. The farmer from Lower Austria, who is also running again for the ÖVP in the EU elections on June 9th, played a leading role in negotiating the directive and ensured that jam can now finally be made legally from apricots again. 

The aim of the guidelines, which were updated on January 30, is to promote a switch to a healthier diet, help consumers make informed decisions and ensure transparency regarding the origin of products. This also applies to honey in particular. In the case of honey blends, it is stipulated that all countries from which the honey originates must be named.

This is intended to put a stop to the sticky business of "adulterated honey". According to the new guidelines, it will no longer be possible to simply state "mixture of honey from EU countries" or "mixture of honey from EU countries and non-EU countries". "The aim is to ensure that consumers are not misled, but can recognize exactly where the honey actually comes from," it says.