European Parliament Approved Chocolate Directive
The main issue on which agreement has now been reached is the way in which manufacturers should be allowed to make small additions of specialized non-cocoa vegetable fats, presently permitted in seven out of the fifteen Member States. The harmonized standards will allow the replacement of up to 5% of the cocoa butter content by vegetable fats. Also, for the first time, the milkier formulation of British milk chocolate will be recognized throughout Europe, although on the continent it will be called "family milk chocolate."
Following the directive's approval, Italy was flooded with protests. Some 70 businesses involved in making high-quality chocolates staged a protest in Turin, insisting that they would continue making their chocolate as before and accusing Europe of giving in to pressure from multinationals.
The Greens party, who are in Italy's governing center-left coalition, vowed to continue battling against the law. At the same time, the Communist Re-foundation Party (PRC) distributed high-quality chocolates in front of the Italian parliament building to protest the measure. The free sweets were meant to encourage the Italian government to immediately "distance itself" from the decision.
"This decision creates a single market for chocolate in the EU and guarantees more choices for European consumers," said a note issued by Caobisco, an organization which represents over 3,000 chocolate makers ranging from multinationals to small producers of the sweet.
The chocolate issue has split the EU since 1973, when Britain, Ireland and Denmark won an exemption from the European law saying only cocoa butter could be used. Portugal, Finland, Austria and Sweden were later awarded the same exemption status, to the anger of purists led by Belgium and France.
Edited by Scott Hegenbart, Managing Editor, Food Ingredients Online