[ParlTrack]

Proposal for a Regulation
Citation 3 a (new)

having regard to Article 349(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, with regard to the outermost regions;

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2

(2) The experience gained with the application of the current schemes, together with the conclusions of the external evaluations and subsequent analysis of different policy options~~, point to the conclusion that the rationale which led to the establishment of the two school schemes is still relevant. In the current context of~~ and the difficult social conditions in many Member States, point to the conclusion that the two school schemes are indispensable within the Union. In the current context of high rates of child obesity, declining consumption of fruit and vegetables including bananas and milk products, exacerbated by amongst other things, the modern trend towards the consumption of highly processed foods which, additionally, are often high in added sugars, salt ~~and fat~~, fat and preservatives, the Union aid to finance the supply to children in educational establishments of selected agricultural products should therefore continue to exist, contributing to the development of healthy eating and the promotion of local agricultural products.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 a (new)

(2 A) Highly processed foods are often sold on school premises themselves. These contain various additives and are both harmful to health and highly appealing for children and young people to eat. It is important that this regulation is also able to provide marketing campaigns for healthy eating habits, which have the same visibility and impact as the products mentioned.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3

(3) The analysis of different policy options points out that a unified approach under a common legal and financial framework is more appropriate and effective in meeting the specific objectives that the Common Agricultural Policy is pursuing through school schemes. This would allow Member States to maximise the impact of distribution within a constant budget and increase management efficiency. However, in order to take into account the differences between the fruit and vegetables including bananas, and milk products and their supply chains, ~~certain elements should remain separa~~only the separation of budgetary envelopes should be accepted, ~~such as the respective budgetary envelopes~~without prejudice to the existence of a common budget solely to cover expenditure on educational measures, monitoring and evaluation of the scheme. In light of the experience with the current schemes, ~~the~~ participation in the scheme should continue to be voluntary for Member States. This expression of interest should be registered by April, in order that the remaining funds can be redistributed by the other Member States that adopt the programme. Taking into the account the different consumption situations across Member States, the possibility should be given to participating Member States to choose whether they want to distribute all or just one of the products eligible for the supply to children in educational establishments, provided they come within the respective budget.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4

(4) A trend of declining consumption in particular of fresh fruit and vegetables including bananas and drinking milk has been identified. It is therefore appropriate to focus the distribution under the school schemes on these products, and these foods could be served in a variety of ways. This would in turn also help reduce the organisational burden for schools, increase the impact of the distribution within a limited budget and would be in line with the current practice, as these products are most frequently distributed. Considering the high milk and therefore calcium content of cheeses and yogurts, these may be included in the scheme, if properly justified and identifiable as having been produced in the European Union. For health reasons, including possible lactose intolerance, lactose-free versions of the aforementioned dairy products may also be included.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

(5) Educational measures that support the distribution are necessary in order to make the scheme effective in reaching its short- and long-term objectives of increasing the consumption of selected agricultural products and shaping healthier diets, thereby helping to reduce childhood obesity and other risk factors for health. Considering their importance, these measures should support both ~~the~~ fruit and vegetables including bananas and milk distribution. They should be eligible for ~~the~~ Union aid. As supporting measures they represent a critical tool to reconnect children with agriculture and its different products ~~and t~~, particularly those produced in their region, and this should make them more aware of both European agricultural production methods, and the whole process involved in the food supply chain, until it gets to the plate. To meet the objectives that the scheme is pursuing, Member States should be allowed to include a wider variety of agricultural products into their thematic measures~~. However, so as to promote healthy eating habits, the national health authorities should be involved in this process and approve~~, preferably from local and regional production in short supply chains, to which no sugar, salt, fat and preservatives are added. The occasional inclusion of other local or regional agricultural products of proven nutritional value is also acceptable, such as honey or olive oil. However, so as to promote healthy eating habits, Member States should, based on reports from the relevant authorities, draw up the list of these products, as well as the two groups of products eligible for ~~the~~ distribution, and decide on their nutritional aspects., without calling into question the provisions of this regulation

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) In order to ensure a sound budgetary management, a fixed ceiling of the Union aid towards the distribution of fruit and vegetables including bananas and milk, supporting educational measures and related costs should be provided for~~. This ceiling should reflect the current situation~~, this cost being adapted to the reality of each of the Member States. This ceiling should reflect the current situation and should be reviewed whenever the average price of any of these products rises by more than 10 %. In light of the experience gained and with a view to simplify the management, the financing models should be approximated and based on a single approach as regards the level of Union financial contribution. It is therefore appropriate to limit the level of Union aid towards the price of products through a maximum Union aid per portion (previously defined and adapted to the reality of each Member State), both for fruit and vegetables including bananas and milk and abolish the principle of obligatory co-financing for fruit and vegetables including bananas. Considering the price volatility of products in question, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of measures setting the levels of the Union aid towards the price of a portion of products and laying down the definition of a portion.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7

((7) In order to ensure the efficient and targeted use of Union funds, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of measures fixing the indicative allocations of the Union aid to each Member State and the methods for reallocating aid between Member States on the basis of aid requests received. The indicative allocations should be fixed separately for the fruit and vegetables including bananas and milk in line with the voluntary approach to distribution. The allocation key for fruit and vegetables including bananas should reflect the current allocations by Member States, based on the objective criteria of the number of children in the age group of six- to ten-year olds as a proportion of the population, taking into the account also the development status of regions concerned. In order to allow Member States to maintain the scale of their current programmes and with a view of encouraging others to take up the distribution of milk, it is appropriate to use the combination of two keys for the allocation of the funds for milk, namely the historical use of funds by Member States under the School Milk Scheme and the objective criteria of the number of children in the age group of six- to ten-year olds as a proportion of the population used for the fruit and vegetables including bananas. In the case of Member States that do not have a history of use of these funds, a maximum value should be found based on the average of at least three similar Member States for the first allocation of this aid. In order to find the right proportion for these two keys, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of adopting additional rules concerning the balance between the two criteria. Furthermore, considering the recurrent changes in the demographic or development situation of regions in Member States, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of assessing every three years whether the Member States' allocations, based on those criteria, are still up to date. An increase of 5 % should be applied to the Union aid in the implementation of this scheme in outermost regions, in view of their limited agricultural diversification and the frequent impossibility of finding some products in the region, which involves greater costs of transport and storage.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)

(8 A) The Union aid should be increased by 5 % in the implementation of this scheme in outermost regions, in view of their limited agricultural diversification and the frequent impossibility of finding some products in the region, which involves greater costs of transport and storage; this contribution should be increased by a further 5 % if these products come from another outermost region.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) The national strategy should be considered as ~~the~~a condition for the Member State'’s participation in the scheme ~~and as~~, presenting a strategic ~~multiannual document, setting out targets to be achieved by Member States and their~~document for a period of six years, quantifying the existing problem and setting out targets to be achieved by Member States, the methodologies in line with the problem presented and respective priorities. Member States should be allowed to update them regularly, in particular in light of the evaluations and reassessment of priorities or targets and of the success of the programme.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) In order to ensure the visibility of the scheme, Member States should explain in their strategy how they will guarantee the added value of their scheme, creating a slogan that can quickly identify a school that applies this scheme and promotes healthy eating habits, among other actions, especially where products financed under the Union scheme are consumed at the same time as other meals provided to children in an educational establishment. In order to ensure that the educational purpose of the Union scheme is attained and effective, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the rules concerning the distribution of the products financed under the Union scheme in relation to the provision of other meals in educational establishments and their preparation.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) In order to ensure that the price of products provided to children under the scheme fully reflects the amount of the aid provided and that subsidised products are not deflected from their intended use, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of ~~establishment of price monitoring under~~verification of the application of the scheme.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3

Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point b

b) For supporting educational measures, including promotion of healthy eating habits and measures for connecting children and young people with agricultural production; and

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3

Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 2

2. Member States wishing to participate in the aid scheme established in paragraph 1 (“the school scheme”) may distribute ~~either~~, cumulatively or otherwise, fruit and vegetables including bananas, or milk products (with and without lactose) falling within CN codes 0401, ~~or both~~0403, 0406 provided that they contain no added sugar, salt, fats and preservatives.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3

Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 3

3. As a condition for their participation in the school scheme Member States shall draw up, prior to their participation in the school scheme, and subsequently every 6 years, at national or regional level, a strategy for the implementation of the scheme The strategy may be amended by a Member State, in particular in the light of monitoring and evaluation and of the results achieved, making good use of the Community funds. The strategy shall at least identify the needs to be met, the ranking of the needs in terms of priorities, the target population, the results expected and the quantified targets to be attained in relation to the initial situation, and lay down the most appropriate instruments and actions for attaining those objectives.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3

4. Member States shall, in order to make the school scheme effective, also provide for the supporting educational measures, which ~~may~~should include measures and activities aimed at promoting the aid that the European Union provides for this scheme, at connecting children with agriculture and producers, and a wider variety of agricultural products, educating about related issues, such as healthy eating habits, combating food waste, local food chains or, organic farming and also environmentally-friendly farms.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3

Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 5

5. When drawing up their strategies, Member States shall determine, based on their nutritional importance and on the principles of healthy eating, a list of agricultural products, in addition to fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk, that may occasionally be included under the supporting educational measures.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3

Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 6

6. Member States shall choose the products to be ~~featured in the~~ distribut~~ion~~ed or to be included in supporting educational measures on the basis of objective criteria which may include the health and environmental considerations, seasonality, variety, or availability of local produce, giving priority ~~to the extent~~whenever practicable to products originating in the Union, particularly to local purchasing, organic products, short supply chains or environmental benefits.

2015/02/05
Committee: AGRI

Sofia RIBEIRO