The European Commission is reportedly preparing to abandon the EU School Fruit Scheme (SFS), which provides fruit and vegetables to an estimated 8.6 million children across Europe.
EU member states and industry stakeholders will address the Commission on March 2, to discuss whether the scheme is an 'obstacle' to its aim to achieve better regulation and CAP simplification.
Freshfel Europe, the European fresh produce association, has declared its opposition to the move, noting that the scheme is crucial to combatting childhood obesity.
“This scheme has already proved to be a remarkable instrument to help children discover taste, texture and diversity of fruit and vegetables while contributing to tackle the growing problem of obesity,” said pointed out Philippe Binard, General Delegate at Freshfel Europe.
“The SFS also supports the agricultural sector, a key industry for the EU’s jobs, as it promotes the consumption of its products and connect suppliers to schools in their neighborhood."
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones.
