Brussels, 26/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Italy is to be taken before the Court of Justice for having continued to sell chocolate bearing a “pure chocolate” label, in breach of Community legislation.
Directive 2000/36.EC on cocoa and chocolate products for human consumption makes it an obligation for producers, if their products contain an authorised percentage of vegetable fat other than cocoa butter, to clearly mark this addition on the label of the product. It does not, however, provide for any specific mention on the labelling of products that do not contain any vegetable fat other than cocoa butter. For a neutral and objective labelling in line with EU legislation, the Italian legislation should, in this specific case, authorise the indication “pure cocoa butter chocolate” to point out either the absence of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter or the presence of nothing but cocoa butter. (A.N./transl.jl)