Brussels, 27/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 26 March, the European Parliament's budget committee voted overwhelmingly to retain the funding for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), €3.5 billion over seven years (2014-2020). This may simply be an opinion drafted by Derek Vaughan (S&D, United Kingdom) for the Parliament's employment and social affairs committee but it ratchets up the pressure on the Council and the European Commission. The Commission is proposing €2.5 billion like the Council. The budget committee vote comes after the vote by the agriculture committee, also backing retention of current funding amounts (see EUROPE 10815).
According to the Commission proposal, all member states will be affected by this mechanism rather than the 20 or so currently involved in the food aid programme for the poor. The assistance provided will no longer just include food aid but will also focus on basic necessities, such as clothes. The employment and social affairs committee vote will be held on 23 April prior to adoption in plenary session by summer. It is estimated that, in 2011, 116 million Europeans (a quarter of the population) were at risk of falling into poverty or social exclusion. (LC/transl.fl)