WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2706/98 by Angela BILLINGHAM to the Commission. EU subsidy for school milk
Date: 1998-09-01
Institutions: BILLINGHAM, European Parliament
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, United Kingdom, delivery, eating habits, educational institution, milk, primary education

C 135/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.5.1999

adopted, dentistry was practised in that Member State by doctors. By way of exemption, Article 19 of
Directive 78/686/EEC allows such doctors to continue to practise dentistry and to move to other Member
States as dental practitioners on the main condition that they began their medical training before 28 January
1980. As Community law stands at present, only doctors who began their medical training in Italy before
28 January 1980 are covered by Article 19 (on the conditions laid down by this article) and may thus
practise dentistry and move to other Member States as dental practitioners.

Directive 93/16/EEC (2), which consolidates Directives 75/362 and 75/363/EEC, does not specify the field
of activity of doctors but lays down solely the minimum training criteria. Nor is it the purpose of the
‘dentists’ Directives 78/686/EEC and 78/687/EEC to regulate the activities of doctors. However, the
special situation of Italy at the time the ‘dentists’ Directives were adopted called for a temporary
derogation (Article 19 of Directive 78/686/EEC). With regard to the questions on membership of
professional bodies, the Commission refers the Honourable Member to the answer to Written Question
E-1522/96 by Mrs Muscardini (3). The Commission also refers the Honourable Member to the answers to
Written Questions E-1324/95 (4), 836/96 (5), 3592/96 (6), 3593/966 and 1649/97 by Mrs Muscardini (7),
which all deal with odontostomatology in Italy.

(1) Reports 1995, pages I-1319.
(2) OJ L 165, 7.7.1993.
(3) OJ C 356, 25.11.1996.
(4) OJ C 277, 23.10.1995.
(5) OJ C 280, 25.9.1996.
(6) OJ C 186, 18.6.1997.
(7) OJ C 391, 23.12.1997.

(1999/C 135/118)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2706/98

by Angela Billingham (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 1998)

Subject: EU subsidy for school milk

Can the Commission verify that the current level of subsidy for schools in the UK is 11,98 p per pint of
milk? If so, given the importance of milk as a source of calcium for children, is this an adequate level of
subsidy or does it need to be reviewed?

Can the Commission confirm what channels primary schools have to use in relation to the Intervention
Board in Reading in the UK in order to access this subsidy? Can the Commission investigate whether there
is an unnecessary amount of bureaucracy in accessing it and if so, how this procedure can be simplified?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 1998)

Following an adjustment of the United Kingdom green rate on 3 May 1998, the level of subsidy for whole
milk distributed under the Community school milk scheme now amounts to 11,67 pence per pint. This
subsidy, which amounts to 95 % of the target price for milk, is higher than any other subsidy granted in the
framework of the common market organisation for milk and milk products. The Commission is convinced
that this level of subsidy is adequate.

A primary school in the United Kingdom wishing to participate in the scheme should contact the
Community school milk subsidy scheme section in the intervention board in Reading, which is
responsible for implementing the scheme in the United Kingdom. As regards the practical arrangements
for the scheme, the Commission’s role is confined to checking their conformity with the existing
Community legislation. The administrative procedures as such fall under national competence and,
therefore, their possible simplification should be discussed with the British authorities in the first instance.