WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2480/98 by John IVERSEN EU aid for school milk
Date: 1998-07-30
Institutions: European Parliament, IVERSEN
Subjects: EU aid, aid system, dietary product, eating habits, educational institution, milk product, nutrition, organic farming, skimmed milk, whole milk

C 289/4

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.10.1999

(1999/C 289/004)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2480/98

by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission

(30 July 1998)

Subject: EU aid for school milk

The EU has for years granted aid for school milk but only for the richest types (full-cream and low-fat milk) and
not for types with a lower fat content (skimmed milk and buttermilk).

Does the Commission not think that it is healthier for children to get milk with a lower fat content at school so
that from the outside they have a good nutritional diet?

Will the Commission take the initiative to ensure that EU aid is changed to include low-fat milk such as
skimmed milk and buttermilk?

Will the Commission also take the initiative to ensure that ecological milk is also covered by the EU aid system?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 1998)

The Community’s school milk programme tries to strike a reasonable balance between the objectives of the
common market organisation for milk of promoting and increasing milk products consumption, while also
providing children with a valuable and nutritional food source. Given that over 90 % of the liquid milk
consumed in the Community is either whole milk or semi-skimmed milk, both of which are eligible for
subsidy under the scheme, consumer tastes and demand are substantially met. For those wishing to reduce the
intake of milk fat, semi-skimmed milk seems a reasonable alternative which offers a good compromise in
terms of fat intake, taste and vitamin content, given that the latter is substantially reduced by removing the fat
part of the milk.

The Commission considers that the present range of eligible dairy products combined with the limited
quantity of milk eligible for subsidy (250 ml per child and per day) are compatible with a sensible diet not
involving over-consumption of saturated fats.

Under the existing rules for the school milk scheme, ecological milk is eligible for aid.

(1999/C 289/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2532/98

by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1998)

Subject: Procedures for registering motor vehicles in the Member States

1.
Does the Commission monitor the procedures for registering vehicles in the Member States in order to
ensure that these procedures do not constitute unnecessary or unfair barriers to the freedom of movement and
the single market in cars and other vehicles?

2.

3.

Is the Commission satisfied with the procedures employed by the Member States, in particular the UK?

Does the Commission have any further comment to make on this matter?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 1998)

Whenever the Commission receives a complaint backed up by evidence concerning a possible infringement of
Community law by a Member State, it conducts an investigation. As regards the registration of motor vehicles,
it acts in accordance with its interpretative communication on procedures for the type-approval and
registration of vehicles previously registered in another Member State (96/C 143/04) (1).