The proposal does not only concern a widely consumed product, but it also has an impact on the Internal Market and, potentially, on the Community's relations with certain third countries. The most sensitive issue is the use, in the production of chocolate, of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter which currently is allowed in seven Member States.
It is recalled that the proposal is part of the effort at simplification of too detailed Directives requested by the Edinburgh European Council in 1992.
Amongst other amendments, the Commission is proposing to extend to the entire Community the possibility of allowing the placing on the market of chocolate using vegetable fats other than cocoa butter, up to a limit of 5% of the weight of the finished product and subject to additional labelling requirements for such fats, with a view to ensuring free circulation of the products.