ZAGREB, March 28, 2019 – An amount of 250 million euro was approved by the European Commission on Wednesday for the free distribution of fruit, vegetables and milk for 20 million children throughout the EU in the 2019/2020 school year.
The national budget allocations were adopted today. 145 million euro was set aside for fruit and vegetables, and €105 million for milk and other dairy products. The distribution programme is complemented by educational measures that teach children about agriculture and promotes healthy eating, the European Commission said in a press release.
Croatia will receive 1.66 million euro for fruit and vegetables and an additional 800,354 euro for milk.
According to the law that has been applicable since 1 August 2017, 2 previous schemes were combined under a single legal framework which is focused on an enhanced educational dimension.
Countries participating in the programme are expected to prepare strategy outlines for a period of 6 years, noting objectives and priorities, target groups (primary schools, for example), products (apples and carrots for example) and education activities (farm visits, school gardens, training).
“Thanks to the EU School Scheme, our young citizens can benefit from the nutritious, safe and high-quality food that our European farmers produce, while also learning about where it comes from. The Commission is proud to contribute to this important educational journey, establishing healthy habits from a young age,” Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan said.
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