Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-03-15-Speech-3-110"
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"en.20000315.3.3-110"2
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"The basis for prosperity in the EU is competition. And the intention in adopting a new directive on chocolate products is precisely to improve competition in the EU. With regard to food policy and consumer protection, we must be very careful. But this is not a question of health or environmental protection. It is exclusively a question of the extent to which, without any risk to health, we are to permit free competition in the chocolate industry so that all chocolate producers can sell their chocolate in all EU countries and not only in the seven countries which have so far permitted the aforesaid vegetable fats. Seen from the consumers’ point of view, it is exclusively a question of taste. It cannot therefore be right for politicians to decide what consumers should be entitled to choose between. Products should be put on sale, and it should be clear what they contain, but otherwise we must rely upon consumers’ own judgement. We can hardly do otherwise. Consumers should find out for themselves what tastes best.
If, today, we are obliged to note considerable opposition to the proposal here in Parliament, this cannot be viewed as anything other than an attempt on the part of certain chocolate manufacturers to curb competition. If one looks at where the opposition is coming from, it is also clear that it crosses the Group divide and comes mainly from those countries which are already using current rules to protect their chocolate industries."@en1
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