WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2441/97 by Graham WATSON to the Commission. EU Milk Availability Scheme
C 82/80 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 3. 98 (98/C 82/131) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2441/97 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission (16 July 1997) Subject: EU Milk Availability Scheme How does the Commission promote and guarantee the Milk Availability Scheme in order that every European child who has áeligible beneficiary statusí may receive access to the provision of milk? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 September 1997) The Communityís main role in the operation of the school milk scheme is to provide for the necessary legal framework and for appropriate budgetary resources in order to facilitate the application of the scheme throughout the Community. Whether a child attending a particular school has access to subsidized school milk or not will ultimately depend on initiatives taken by the school, by milk suppliers or by national or local authorities to apply the scheme. (98/C 82/132) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2442/97 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission (16 July 1997) Subject: EU Milk Availability Scheme Does the Commission have comparative statistics on the amount of milk provided through the Milk Availability Scheme in all Member States? How much more or less milk is provided in countries with privatized distribution systems? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (10 September 1997) The table below gives the total quantity of milk and milk products distributed under the Community school milk scheme during the 1995/1996 school year in each Member State. These quantities are influenced by several elements, such as the number of eligible pupils, the pro capita consumption of milk in the Member State, the tradition of drinking milk at school, the practical organisation of the scheme, and specific initiatives taken by suppliers or local and school authorities to promote the scheme. Given this wide range of influences, the Commission is not able to assess the impact of privatised distribution systems on the uptake of school milk. Member State Total quantity of milk and milk products distributed during the 1995/1996 school year (tonnes) Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Spain France Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Austria Portugal Finland Sweden United Kingdom 12946 14438 92137 0 21900 49936 6015 6210 244 13185 4672 14146 12932 37152 67989