Brussels, 04/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 8 March in Strasbourg, the European Parliament is expected to approve the draft regulation amending the proposal for a new assistance distribution scheme for fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in schools.
The report by Marc Tarabella (S&D, Belgium) on the compromise between institutions reached on this dossier was adopted on 11 January last at the EP Agriculture Committee (see EUROPE 11451).
List of eligible products. Member states will prioritise the distribution of products of either or both of the following groups: fruit and vegetables and fresh products of the banana sector; drinking milk and its lactose-free versions. However, a member state may provide for the distribution of: processed fruit and vegetable products, in addition to cheese and curd, yoghurt and other fermented or acidified milk products. The distribution of products with added sugar, salt and fat should not be allowed in the school dsitribution system. Nonetheless, a member state would be able to decide that products can be allowed, which contain “limited” quantities of added sugar, salt and/or fats, after obtaining the required authorisation from the national authorities in charge of health and nutrition. Strict limits on quantities of these additives in the final project will be defined by the Commission.
Products containing added fruits, nuts or cocoa, such as chocolate milk or yogurts with fruits, and flavoured foodstuffs will still be eligible for EU funding under the school scheme. But MEPs ensured that the EU will only pay for the milk part of it, which must make up at least 90%, or in exceptional cases, at least 75%, of the final product.
Financing, criteria and transfers. Aid granted under this programme will not be able to exceed €250 million per academic year: €150 million for fruit and vegetables to the school and €100 million for milk to schools.
The aid shall be allocated to each member state taking into account the following: the number of six- to ten-year old children in a member state; the degree of development of the regions within a member state so as to ensure higher aid to less developed regions for school milk, in addition to the criteria referred to above, the historical use of the Union aid for the supply of milk and milk products to children.
Any member state may transfer once per school year up to 20% of one or the other of its indicative allocations (milk in one category and fruit and vegetables and the other). However, that percentage may be increased up to 25% for the member states with outermost regions and “in other duly justified cases”, such as where a member state needs to address specific or worrying market situation.
More emphasis on education. To make the EU school scheme more effective, member states must do more to promote healthy eating habits, local food chains, organic farming and the fight against food waste, MEPs insisted. The educational measures should also better connect children with agriculture, for example through farm visits and the distribution of local specialities such as honey and olives.
The Council will still need to formally adopt this regulation. It will enter into force on the day of its publication in the EU Official Journal and will apply as from 1 August 2017. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)