Activities of James NICHOLSON related to 2014/0014(COD)
Plenary speeches (2)
Aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in the educational establishments (debate)
Aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in the educational establishments (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 as regards the aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in the educational establishments PDF (600 KB) DOC (145 KB)
Amendments (26)
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
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 declining consumption of fruit and vegetables including bananas and milk products, exacerbated by amongst other things,and in particular the significant decline in milk product consumption among adolescents, exacerbated by the modern trend towards the consumption of highly processed foods which, additionally, are often high in added sugars, salt and fat, the Union aid to finance the supply to children in educational establishments of selected agricultural products should therefore continue to exist.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
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 the 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 separate, such as the respective budgetary envelopes. In light of the experience with the current schemes, the participation in the scheme should continue to be voluntary for Member States. 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. Member States could also consider introducing targeted measures in order to address declining milk consumption among adolescents.
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Educational measures that support the distribution are nrecessaryommended 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. Considering their importance, these measures should support both the fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk product 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 to meet the objectives that the scheme is pursuing, Member States should be allowed to include a wider variety of agricultural products, in particular dairy 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 the list of these products, as well as the two groups of products eligible for the distribution, and decide on their nutritional aspects.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
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, milk and milk products, supporting educational measures and related costs should be provided for. This ceiling should reflect the current situation. 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 both for fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk products, 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.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
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, milk and milk products 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 and milk products, 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 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.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In order to allow the Member States with a limited demographic size to implement a cost effective scheme, the power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of setting the minimum amount of the Union aid that Member States are entitled to receive for fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk products.
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In the interest of sound administration and budget management, Member States wishing to participate in the distribution of fruit and vegetables including bananas and/or milk and milk products should apply every six years for the Union aid. With a view of simplifying the procedures and management, this application should be done on the basis of separate aid requests. Following the requests of the Member States, the Commission should decide on the definitive allocations for fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk products, within the appropriations available in the budget and after taking into account limited transfers between their allocations, which encourage prioritising of distribution based on the nutritional needs, The power to adopt certain acts should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the measures setting the conditions and the limits concerning these transfers.
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
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, 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.
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – title
Article 23 – title
Aid for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas, milk and milk products, supporting educational measures and related costs
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point a
a) for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas, milk and milk products;
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point b
b) for supporting voluntary educational measures; and
Amendment 163 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. Member States wishing to participate in the aid scheme established in paragraph 1 (“ the school scheme”) may distribute either fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk or milk products falling within CN codes 0401, 0403, 0404 90 and 0406 or CN code 2202 90, or both.
Amendment 180 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 4
Article 23 – paragraph 4
4. Member States shallmay, in order to make the school scheme effective, also provide for the supporting educational measures, which may include measures and activities aimed at connecting children with agriculture 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.
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 5
Article 23 – paragraph 5
5. When drawing up their strategies, Member States shallmay determine a list of agricultural products, in addition to fruit and vegetables, bananas, milk and milk products referred to in paragraph 2, that may occasionally be included under the supporting educational measures.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 – paragraph 6
Article 23 – paragraph 6
6. Member States shallin accordance with their national strategies may choose the products to be featured in the distribution 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 practicable to products originating in the Union, particularly to local purchasing, organic products, short supply chains or environmental benefits.
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 a – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 23 a – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 227 determining the level of Union aid that may be paid towards the price of the portion of fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk products distributed and laying down the definition of a portion. The Commission shall also be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 227 fixing a minimum amount and a maximum amount for the financing of supporting educational measures from Member States' annual definitive allocations.
Amendment 267 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 a – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 23 a – paragraph 2 – point b
b) for milk and milk products: the historical use of funds under previous schemes for the supply of milk and milk products to children and objective criteria based on their proportion of six- to ten-year old children.
Amendment 272 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 a – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 23 a – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall assess at least every three years whether the indicative allocations for fruit and vegetables including bananas, and for milk and milk products remain consistent with objective criteria referred to in this paragraph.
Amendment 295 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 a – paragraph 4
Article 23 a – paragraph 4
4. Without exceeding the global ceiling of EUR 230 million resulting from the amounts referred to under points (a) and (b) of paragraph 1, Member States may transfer up to 15% of their indicative allocations for fruit and vegetables including bananas or for milk and milk products to the other sector under the conditions to be specified by the Commission by means of delegated acts adopted in accordance with Article 227.
Amendment 306 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 23 a – paragraph 8
Article 23 a – paragraph 8
8. Member States participating in the school scheme shallmay publicise, at the places where the food is distributed, their involvement in the scheme and the fact that it is subsidised by the Union. Member States shallmay ensure the added value and the visibility of the Union school scheme in relation to the provision of other meals in educational establishments.
Amendment 314 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point c
c) the drawing-up of the national or regional strategies and on the supporting educational measures.
Amendment 328 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point a
a) the indicative allocation of aid between Member States for fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk products, and where appropriate its revision following the assessment referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 23a(2), the minimum amounts of Union aid for each Member State, the method for reallocating the aid allocation between Member States based on aid applications received, and the additional rules concerning how the criteria referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 23a(2) shall be taken into account for the allocation of the funds,
Amendment 334 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 24 – paragraph 2 – point b
b) the conditions concerning the transfers between the allocations for fruit and vegetables including bananas, milk and milk products;
Amendment 341 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 24 – paragraph 3
Article 24 – paragraph 3
3. In order to promote awareness of the school scheme the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 227, requiring Member States with a school scheme toMember States with a school scheme shall undertake measures to increase awareness and publicise the subsidising role of the Union aid.
Amendment 347 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 24 – paragraph 4
Article 24 – paragraph 4
Amendment 352 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
Article 25 – point a
Article 25 – point a
a) the definitive allocation of aid for fruit and vegetables including bananas and/or milk and milk products between participating Member States within the limits set out in Article 23a(1), taking account of the transfers referred to in Article 23a(4);