WRITTEN QUESTION E-1683/99 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. School milk scheme.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/75 Will the Commission state: 1. How it reconciles the low priority ascribed to civil protection with the statement by Mr Prodi on 4 May on strengthening security policy in the EU? 2. What action it intends to take to strengthen this European policy on civil protection and establish satisfactory cooperation and exchanges of experience between the Member States? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (18 October 1999) Civil protection is not covered by the policies intended to create a free, safe and just area within the 1. Union. The Commission has put to the Council a second programme of Community action on civil 2. protection spanning 1 January 2000-2031 December 2004 (1). In line with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality that programme is intended to support and supplement the efforts made by the Member States to protect individual persons, the environment and property in the event of natural or technological disasters. (1) COM(98) 768 final ü OJ C 28, 3. 2. 1999 and amended proposal COM(1999) 400 final. (2000/C 170 E/084) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1683/99 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission (22 September 1999) Subject: School milk scheme Can the Commission indicate whether it has plans to abolish or cut the subsidised school milk scheme? This scheme is of particular benefit to children in poorer areas, notably as a source of calcium, and to local milk producers. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (13 October 1999) The Commission can confirm that it has initiated a discussion about the role of the Community in the distribution of milk at schools and its financial participation in particular. The background for this initiative is the need for a regular critical examination of support measures that imply considerable budgetary charges for the Community. In the case of the Community school milk programme, expenditure amounts to more than € 100 million. is against this background that It the Commission contracted an external evaluation study, whose conclusions are rather critical as to the cost-effectiveness of the measure. In the meantime, the conclusions of this study have been the subject of further discussions and consultations. On the basis of these reflections, the Commission will consider submitting a legislative proposal on the future of the scheme, to be decided by the Council in consultation with the Parliament