A. GENERAL POLICY QUESTIONS
25. PROPOSALS FOR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DIRECTIVES
RELATING TO PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION (8164/96)
Letter from Lord Tordoff, Chairman of the Committee,
to Jeff Rooker MP, Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculure,
Fisheries and Food
At a meeting on Wednesday of this week, Sub-Committee D of
the European Communities Committee considered the above proposal
and lifted its scrutiny reserve to allow the Government to support
in Council the coffee comitology proposals.
The Sub-Committee strongly agrees with Her Majesty's Government
that the cocoa and chocolate proposals as amended by the European
Parliament are most objectionable to the UK. The Sub-Committee
urges the Government to maintain its opposition in Council. The
Sub-Committee sees no need for chocolate products made with vegetable
fats to be branded with a front of packet health warning".
The Sub-Committee believes that milk chocolate should be sold
as such throughout Europe.
The Sub-Committee would be grateful for further information
on the progress of the part of the draft instrument relating to
cocoa and chocolate following the Internal Market Council of 27
November. The Sub-Committee is interested in the Commission's
reaction to the European Parliament's amendments and Member States'
subsequent reactions to the Commission.
It is the Sub-Committee's intention to conduct a breif enquiry
into the implications of the proposed chocolate directive early
in the New Year.
27 November 1997
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