Hungary’s newly introduced chips tax fits in a world trend and has attracted followers abroad, the state secretary in charge of health affairs at the Ministry of National Resources told MTI late on Monday.
Miklos Szocska said that Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon and other speakers at the UN general assembly focusing on the global fight against the spread of non-communicable diseases said that companies must also bear responsibility for the public health effects of their products.
The Hungarian government’s initiative to levy a tax on food and drinks with high sugar, salt, carbohydrate and caffeine content has attracted followers in France, Spain and other European countries, Szocska said. Some of the speakers even suggested that certain product groups should be banned, he added.
“We were surprised and at the same time pleased to hear that the steps we had taken were acknowledged in the world,” Szocska said after attending the UN general assembly meeting in the company of Hungarian President Pal Schmitt.
Commenting on the international role of Hungarian health care, Szocska said many doctors who currently occupy leading positions around the world had received their training in Hungary and this is an opportunity that should be utilised. There are currently more international students than local students training medicine in Hungary and talks were held about further training possibilities during the UN meeting, he added.