WRITTEN QUESTION E-0059/02

by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 January 2002)

Subject: School milk subsidies

On 30 August 2001 I tabled a written question to the Council (E-2478/01)(1) concerning school milk subsidies. The Council did not reply to the following questions: What is done to ensure that the funds are used only for school milk and not for other purposes? How are the funds distributed among the Member States? If some countries do not use the subsidy, might it be appropriate to increase the shares of those countries which do use it by the amount available to countries which decline to do so? In its reply of 10 December 2001, it said that the sole power of decision on this matter rested with the Commission. What is the Commission's answer to the above questions?

(1) OJ C 93 E, 18.4.2002, p. 139.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2002)

The budget appropriations for school milk in a given budget year are based on the estimated expenditure for that scheme taking account of the quantities of dairy products distributed in previous years and, eventually, of developments in the aid level. It concerns a global amount for the Community as a whole, without any specification of budgetary envelopes per individual Member State. Actual expenditure on the scheme depends upon the quantities effectively distributed in each Member State. The budgetary framework therefore does not allow for the type of compensatory allocations suggested by the Honourable Member.

Moreover, the aid amount per unit of product distributed to schoolchildren should be known at the moment of distribution with a view to setting the net selling price. For this reason, the Community legislation provides for a fixed amount of subsidy for the different products distributed.