Does you database have a unique constraint defined for Label Family and property FamID? Execute 'show constraints' in the browser and look for one.
I created that scenario in a test database and got that error during import. Nothing was changed because I assume the error rolled back the transaction, so nothing was persisted.
Thanks again for your help.
It turned out to be a constraint indeed.
Guido
P.S. there is now definite proof that I'm writing code while sleepwalking: I did know about the existence of constraints, but never used them. I didn't even know the syntax...