The Czech Republic will celebrate 20 years in the European Union, but it has lost rum and spread butter

The Czech Republic took the first step towards joining the EU in January 1996, when Prime Minister Václav Klaus submitted an application for membership. After the conclusion of the accession negotiations and the evaluation of the annual assessments, the accession treaty was signed and May 1, 2004 became the official date of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU. In order for the accession treaty to reach its fulfillment, it had to be ratified. The Czech Republic chose a national referendum for ratification. In it, with a turnout of 55.2%, 77.3% of voters voted for entry.

Balance in 2023: beneficiary 89.5 billion

According to the latest information from the Ministry of Finance, in 2023 the Czech Republic transferred almost CZK 67 billion to the European budget. At the same time, however, it received approximately CZK 156 billion from the EU budget and the EU Recovery Support Instrument. The difference between these two values ​​is a positive balance of CZK 89 billion. From a financial point of view, the Czech Republic is currently making money from EU membership. However, the EU not only gave us, but also took away. For example, labels for rum, marmalade and spread butter.

The European Union has not banned the production of rum, as some people might have mistakenly believed. However, it banned the use of the label rum, as the name appears to be misleading in view of the actual composition. According to standards, real rum is made by distilling molasses or sugar cane juice, not potato starch. You will come across Czech natives on store shelves.

The Hamé company, known for its pâtés, preserves and fruit marmalades, lost the battle for the name marmalade. There was no exception negotiated, and the name marmalade can only be used by citrus products that contain at least 20% fruit. Unless, of course, they negotiated an exception such as Austrian jam, which can be described as marmalade. Hell, he’d know about it, wouldn’t he?

In 2015, the dispute over the name of traditional spread butter resonated in the Czech media. The European Commission did not think the name butter was right, because the product does not contain a sufficient amount of milk fat. Despite the fierce fight of the Czech authorities, the Czech Republic was once again on the losing side and the spread butter had to be removed from stores. After a cosmetic change, it returned to them only as Pomazánkové.

Perhaps also because of these trivial matters, to which the EU paid unprecedented attention, the elections to the European Parliament in our country are traditionally among those with the lowest participation. So far, there have been four elections with a turnout of 28.3%, 28.2%, 18.2% and 28.7%. Or it may be related to the lack of information about the functioning of the EU and the role that Czech MEPs have in creating European laws. Or the EU is so distant and abstract that it may seem that the vote of the voter has no effect on everyday life.

Either way, you can express your opinion in the poll or discussion below.

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https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/domaci/zakazou-nam-hranolky-tuzemak-i-vysavace-v-cesku-maji-myty-o-zlem-bruselu-uspech-66068

https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/ekonomika/stop-pro-nazev-pomazankove-maslo-131855

https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/domaci/hlasovani-o-vstupu-do-eu-pred-dvaceti-lety-zustava-jedinym-celostatnim-referendem-v-historii-ceska-5463

https://www.mfcr.cz/cs/ministerstvo/media/tiskove-zpravy/2024/ceska-republika-ziskala-v-roce-2023-z-rozpoctu-eu-54803

https://www.irozhlas.cz/ekonomika/brusel-je-neustupny-ceske-dzemy-si-podle-nej-oznaceni-marmelada-nezaslouzi_201210101950_kwinklerova

https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/volby-eurovolby-vysledky-mandaty-volebni-ucast-234359