Brussels, 16/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - The discussion in the Special Committee on Agriculture (SCA), on the school milk and fruit and vegetable schemes on Monday 15 September, confirmed the desire of countries to extend the number of products covered but highlighted the differences of opinion on allocation of the financial envelope.
Ahead of the forthcoming discussions with the European Parliament, the Italian Presidency wanted to take stock with the member states' experts of the proposal that was discussed by the Council in February of this year (see EUROPE 11022).
At the SCA meeting, all countries first of all agreed that the proper legal basis for the text was Article 43 (3) of the Treaty (matter reserved exclusively to the Council).
With regard to the products to be included, several delegations stressed the need to extend the range of the products proposed to school children: - olive oil, honey (Spain, Greece et al); - various cheeses (Italy, France, Germany, Slovenia et al); - other dairy products, such as yoghurts and fermented milk (Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Bulgaria, Slovenia et al); - processed fruits (France, Italy, Czech Republic). Some countries, including Belgium, Poland, Spain and Romania, pointed out that the Russian ban on EU agricultural products should encourage a wider range of products in these schemes. On the other hand, Germany and others (Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom and Netherlands) felt that, for products to be eligible for inclusion, account should be taken of rigorous nutritional criteria so that the objective of healthy eating in schools is achieved.
Countries were divided over the criteria for sharing out the envelope for the school milk scheme. Some (Denmark, Hungary, Portugal, Finland, Romania, France and Sweden) advocated historic criteria, while others (including Germany, Ireland, Greece, Czech Republic and Bulgaria) preferred objective criteria relating to the number of children in school. Historic criteria were, in general, advocated by the countries which already have similar programmes in place and do not want them penalised by a new allocation of resources. Some delegations, including France, Germany and Finland, argued for budget flexibility between the fruit and vegetable and milk schemes. (LC)