Brussels, 21/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission will present a proposal “before the summer” aiming to create a programme for the free distribution of fruit and vegetables in schools. This was announced by Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel on Monday 21 January, at the meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers. This distribution programme could not be included in the decisions of June 2007 on reform of the common market organisations in the fresh and processed fruit and vegetables sector (EUROPE 9446).
Furthermore, Belgium called on the Commission to do the necessary to avoid an interruption of fruit and vegetable distribution to charity organisations and schools in 2008. The possibility that this may happen is due to a legal loophole left in place by the CMO reform last June. The new regulation does not provide funding for these measures until the national strategy is set in place, in 2009. Ms Fischer Boel has pledged to look into the request of the Belgian authorities and put forward a proposal as soon as possible “to resolve this issue”. France, Spain, Italy and Greece came out in support of Belgium. Lastly, the Commission stated that it would examine the request of certain countries to create funding for the EU budget to cover the costs of transport and distribution of products given out free of charge. (L.C.)