Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-11-18-Speech-2-087"
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"en.20081118.5.2-087"2
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"Mr President, firstly it feels good to have Parliament behind me on the proposal on the School Fruit Scheme. I would, as I normally do, thank the committee and the rapporteur, Niels Busk, for the work that has been done.
Before I comment on some of the issues that have been raised here – and in Parliament as well – I would just like to say something about a topic that has recently been discussed at some length in the Council. A number of Member States have asked to be able, in some cases, to ask parents for a contribution to the Scheme. The arguments for and against are not straightforward. In the end, the Commission has agreed that Member States should have the freedom to require cofinancing from parents in some cases.
On the other hand, I see no reason to force this on all Member States. Therefore we would make it possible for Member States to choose whether they want to take this possibility on board. Then when we review the Scheme in 2012 we would really focus on the end-value to be gained from parental contributions.
I have said from the beginning that what we are now putting on the table is not going to solve the obesity problems among young people in Europe, but I believe that it will be a helping hand and give a clear signal from the Commission that it is important to give our young people good eating habits.
With regard to the overall budget, we have allocated EUR 90 million. I have seen some different figures, as Niels Busk rightly said – from EUR 500 million down to EUR 360 million – but the EUR 90 million that we have proposed is certainly not written in stone for the future. I think that we should also take into account in our review of the whole programme to be made in 2012 whether we need to increase the budget. I think it has been important that we have indicated that we are ready to reallocate the money. If there is a surplus of money in one Member State, it can be reallocated. That will hopefully mean that we spend the money in the best possible way.
Regarding the type of fruit and vegetables to be distributed, I feel that it is very safe to leave this in the capable hands of the Member States. Whether they want to use processed food or to deliver local fruit and vegetables –or even to have the possibility of distributing ACP bananas to their children – the final choice should definitely be made by the Member States. I think that in this way we will get by far the best result. I am looking forward to a fruitful discussion on this issue."@en1
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