§ Lord Mountevansasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress the Commission has made in formulating proposals to amend the 1973 Chocolate Directive.
Lord LucasI understand the Commission has agreed proposals to amend the 1973 Chocolate Directive. These would allow all countries to authorise the addition of small amounts of vegetable fat should they wish to do so; require the use of such fats to be separately labelled; allow the continued manufacture of a high milk formulation of milk chocolate in the UK and Ireland; but require designation of such chocolate as "household milk chocolate" when marketed in other member states.
The Government welcome the emphasis given in these proposals to subsidiarity and coherence of the single market but is disappointed by the proposals for double labelling of vegetable fats and the continued pejorative description of some types of high quality milk chocolate. We shall seek changes in those parts of the proposal which seek to discriminate against British products, stifle innovation, limit consumer choice or impose undue regulatory burdens on industry.