EU rules could ban chocolate Easter Eggs

A court case by French egg producers could lead to a British tradition being ruled illegal under EU law.  If the producers are successful in their appeal to the European Court of Justice, chocolate Easter eggs will have to be renamed, as “Easter eggs” will be geographically protected.

The case, which will be heard in Luxembourg on 1 April, will see the poultry farmers try to impose geographical protection on the name ‘Oeufs de Pacques’ and its translation into other European languages.  The claim is being brought under the ‘Protected designation of origin’ provisions of EU Regulation No 1151/2012, which were designed to protect the reputation of regional foods, and promote rural and agricultural activity. 

The same regulations that have been used to protect geographically-named items such as Melton Mowbray pork pies and Champagne should be used, argue the egg producers, to protect their products across the whole of Europe, having met the criteria of “proven usage on the domestic market for… at least 30 years.”  Farmers in the village of Pacques, south of Grenoble in France, have been producing extra large hen’s eggs used for painting as part of Easter celebrations for generations – the earliest records date back to 1537. 

However, this is the first time the regulations will be tested to secure geographic protection not only in the applicant’s native language, but also in the other primary languages of the EU, which include English, German and Spanish. ‘Oeufs de Pacques’ translates into English as ‘Easter eggs’.

The case was uncovered by historian and chocolatier, Sophie Jewett, who organises this weekend’s annual York Chocolate Festival (3 - 6 April 2015).  Ms Jewett was investigating the possibility of registering ‘York chocolate’ as a geographically protected product, given the city’s strong heritage in creating chocolate treats from the Chocolate Orange and KitKat to the Yorkie bar.  This would provide York-made chocolate with a distinctive branding not only within Europe, but also to side-step the recent US ban on many British treats – including the Yorkie - instigated by American confectionery giant, Hershey.  She was outraged by the discovery:

 “In Europe, you are more likely to find chocolate rabbits and hens than eggs, but nevertheless, there are records of eggs being made out of chocolate since the late 19thcentury as part of Easter celebrations in Britain.  It is hard to contemplate that this year’s Chocolate Festival may be the last where we have chocolate Easter eggs on display – yet another tradition which may fall foul of well-meaning ‘protection’ legislation.  We’ve already had many British treats banned from import to the USA, now it looks like we’re going to have issues every year on our own doorstep.”

Indeed, the case echoes a similar threat to British chocolate which ended in 2003, when the EU court finally overturned a Europe wide ban on British chocolate, after claims that it contained too much vegetable fat to be legitimately called chocolate.  Spain and Italy had demanded that it be called ‘chocolate substitute’.  The bizarre dispute had lasted nearly 30 years, with countries including Belgium, France, Italy, Spain and Germany banning vegetable fat in domestic and imported chocolate.  In 2000, they allowed British chocolate, which contains 20% milk, to be imported provided it was labelled ‘family milk chocolate’.

If the French farmers secure protection of the term ‘Easter eggs’, Miss Jewett and the city's Chocolate Makers are planning to hold a vigil in the centre of York during the Festival, which runs from 3 – 6 April, in King’s Square outside York’s CHOCOLATE Story where events will be taking place throughout the Festival, on the evening of Easter eve, Saturday 4 April.  “The Chocolate Festival attracts chocoholics from around the country, so it seems fitting that we prepare for a gathering to commemorate the end of a chocolate tradition here in York - the city that is officially the UK’s home of chocolate,” adds Sophie.

For more information on York Chocolate Festival, please visit www.yorkchocolatefestival.co.uk

ENDS

Notes to editors:             An update to this story will be issued at 12 noon on Wednesday 1 April at http://news.cision.com/york-chocolate-festival

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk