Brussels, 05/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - By adopting the report by Dutch Christian-Democrat Albert Jan Maat, the European Parliament amended the draft regulation aimed at reducing to 50% the Community's financial participation in the milk distribution system in schools. With 238 in favour, 201 against (and 15 abstentions), it adopted the amendment tabled by German Social-Democrat Willi Goerlach calling for the Community contribution to the funding of aid to be equal to 75% of the indicative price of milk and to ensure that this amount not be changed. To take account of the modification of tastes and food habits, Parliament would also like the aid to be extended to new products such as drinking yoghurt and other milky drinks.
Voting on the report had been postponed, for lack of a quorum, at the last plenary session in Strasbourg (see EUROPE of 15 April). In the debate, Mr. Maat placed emphasis on the importance of the distribution of milk in schools and defended the position of Parliament's Agricultural Committee calling for maintaining the Community's contribution to milk distribution in schools at 95%. Commissioner Franz Fischler rejected all Parliament's amendments (which was consulted on a single reading on the subject), justifying the Commission's proposal by the need to involve Member States and producer organising more closely to maximize distribution. He welcomed an possible extension of aid to new products, but considering that this extension should not be included in the regulation but decided according to the comitoligy procedure provided for to that effect.
Explaining his vote, Carlo Fatuzzo) (Pensionati) told the story of an old man who went to his father's café said: "I was born with milk; I want to die with milk". He hoped that the elderly would, like the young, have the right to have a glass of milk a day.
Parliament, moreover, proceeded with the formal vote on the report by Finnish Liberal Mikko Pesala which had also been postponed on the Friday of the last session. By adopting the report almost unanimously, Parliament approved the amendment to the 1999 regulation on the common market organisation for milk and dairy products, in view of transferring to the Commission the power of amending the list of dairy products eligible for export refunds. The Commission already has similar powers for cereals, sugar, rice and eggs.