PART IIINTERNAL MARKET

TITLE IMARKET INTERVENTION

CHAPTER II Aid schemes

F1Section 1 Aid for the supply of fruit and vegetables and of milk and milk products in educational establishments

Article 22Target group

The aid scheme intended to improve the distribution of agricultural products and improving children's eating habits is aimed at children who regularly attend nurseries, pre-schools or primary or secondary-level educational establishments which are administered or recognised by the F2relevant authority.

Article 23Aid for the supply of school fruit and vegetables and of school milk, accompanying educational measures and related costs

1.

F3Aid may be granted in respect of children in the educational establishments referred to in Article 22:

(a)

for the supply and distribution of eligible products referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of this Article;

(b)

for accompanying educational measures; and

(c)

to cover certain related costs linked to equipment, publicity, monitoring and evaluation, and, insofar as those costs are not covered by point (a) of this subparagraph, logistics and distribution.

The F4appropriate authority may make regulations setting limits for the proportion of F5... aid covering measures and costs referred to in points (b) and (c) of the first subparagraph of this paragraph.

2.

For the purposes of this Section:

(a)

‘school fruit and vegetables’ means the products referred to in point (a) of paragraph 3 and point (a) of paragraph 4;

(b)

‘school milk’ means the products referred to in point (b) of paragraph 3 and point (b) of paragraph 4, as well as the products referred to in Annex V.

3.

F6The relevant authority may, taking into account F7circumstances in the constituent nation, prioritise the distribution of products of either or both of the following groups:

(a)

fruit and vegetables and fresh products of the banana sector;

(b)

drinking milk and lactose-free versions thereof.

4.

Notwithstanding paragraph 3, in order to promote the consumption of specific products and/or to respond to particular nutritional needs of children in F8the constituent nation, the relevant authority may provide for the distribution of products of either or both of the following groups:

(a)

processed fruit and vegetable products, in addition to the products referred to in point (a) of paragraph 3;

(b)

cheese, curd, yoghurt and other fermented or acidified milk products without added flavouring, fruit, nuts or cocoa, in addition to the products referred to in point (b) of paragraph 3.

5.

In cases where F9the relevant authority considers it necessary for the attainment of the objectives of the school scheme and the goals stated in the strategies referred to in paragraph 8, F10it may supplement the distribution of products referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 with products listed in Annex V.

In such cases, the F11aid referred to in paragraph 1 shall be paid only for the milk component of the distributed product. That milk component shall not be lower than 90 % by weight for products of Category I of Annex V and 75 % by weight for products of Category II of Annex V.

F12The appropriate authority may make regulations fixing the level of aid for the milk component of the distributed product.

6.

Products distributed under the school scheme shall not contain any of the following:

(a)

added sugars;

(b)

added salt;

(c)

added fat;

(d)

added sweeteners;

(e)

added artificial flavour enhancers E 620 to E 650 as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council23.

Notwithstanding the first subparagraph of this paragraph, F13the relevant authority may, after F14consulting the public bodies responsible for health and nutrition in the constituent nation , decide that eligible products referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 may contain limited quantities of added sugar, added salt and/or added fat.

F157.

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8.

F16The relevant authority must ensure that there is a strategy in place for the implementation of the scheme in the constituent nation for any period during which it intends to make payments under the scheme. The strategy may cover a period of up to six years and may be amended by the relevant authority at any time, in particular in the light of monitoring and evaluation and of the results achieved. The strategy shall at least identify the needs to be met, the ranking of the needs in terms of priorities, the target group, the results expected to be achieved and, if available, the quantified targets to be attained in relation to the initial situation, and lay down the most appropriate instruments and actions for attaining those objectives.

The strategy may contain specific elements relating to the implementation of the school scheme, including those intended to simplify its management.

F17Where the relevant authorities agree, the strategy may be a single strategy in respect of the United Kingdom as a whole.

9.

F18The relevant authority shall determine in F19its strategy the list of all the products to be supplied under the school scheme either through regular distribution or under accompanying educational measures. F20In drawing up that list, the relevant authority must consult, where appropriate, the public bodies responsible for health and nutrition in the constituent nation.

10.

F21The relevant authority shall, in order to make the school scheme effective, also provide for accompanying educational measures, which may include, inter alia, measures and activities aimed at reconnecting children with agriculture through activities, such as farm visits, and the distribution of a wider variety of agricultural products as referred to in paragraph 7. Those measures may also be designed to educate children about related issues, such as healthy eating habits, local food chains, organic farming, sustainable production or combating food waste.

11.

F22The relevant authority shall choose the products to be featured in distribution or to be included in accompanying educational measures on the basis of objective criteria which shall include one or more of the following: health and environmental considerations, seasonality, variety and the availability of local or regional produce, giving priority to the extent practicable to products originating in the F23United Kingdom. F22The relevant authority may encourage in particular local or regional purchasing, organic products, short supply chains or environmental benefits and, if appropriate, products recognised under the quality schemes established by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

F24The relevant authority may consider, in F25its strategy, prioritising sustainability and fair-trade considerations.

Article 23aF26Publicity provisions

F271.

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F272.

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F273.

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F274.

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F275.

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F276.

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F277.

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8.

F28During any period that the relevant authority is making payments under the school scheme in accordance with Article 23, the relevant authority must publicise the school scheme, at school premises or other relevant places. F29The relevant authority may use any suitable publicity tools, which may include posters, dedicated websites, informative graphic material, and information and awareness-raising campaigns. F29The relevant authority shall ensure the added value and the visibility of the F30... school scheme in relation to the provision of other meals in educational establishments.

Article 24Delegated powers

1.

In order to promote the healthy eating habits of children and to ensure that the aid under the school scheme is aimed at children in the target group referred to in Article 22, the F31appropriate authority may make regulations concerning rules on:

(a)

the additional criteria related to the eligibility of the target group referred to in Article 22;

(b)

the approval and selection of aid applicants by F32...;

(c)

the drawing up of the national or regional strategies and on the accompanying educational measures.

2.

F33In order to ensure proper management of public funds and to facilitate the implementation of the school scheme, the appropriate authority may make regulations laying down:

(a)

costs and measures eligible for funding;

(b)

provisions for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the school scheme.

3.

In order to take account of scientific developments, the F34appropriate authority may make regulations in order to supplement the list of artificial flavour-enhancers referred to in point (e) of the first subparagraph of Article 23(6).

In order to ensure that products distributed in accordance with Article 23(3), (4) and (5) meet the objectives of the school scheme, the F35appropriate authority may make regulations in order to define the maximum levels for added sugar, added salt and added fat which may be allowed F36... under the second subparagraph of Article 23(6) and which are technically necessary to prepare or manufacture processed products.

4.

In order to promote awareness of the school scheme F37the appropriate authority may make regulations requiring the school scheme to be publicised, including in relation to:

(a)

if appropriate, the establishment of specific criteria regarding the presentation, composition, size and design of the common identifier or graphic elements;

(b)

the specific criteria related to the use of publicity tools.

5.

In order to ensure the added value and the visibility of the school scheme, the F38appropriate authority may make regulations in respect of the rules concerning the distribution of products in relation to the provision of other meals in educational establishments.

F396.

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Article 25Implementing powers in accordance with the examination procedure

The F40appropriate authority may make regulations laying down the measures necessary for the application of this Section, including those concerning:

  1. (a)

    the information to be contained in F41the strategy referred to in Article 23(8);

  2. (b)

    the aid applications and payments, including the simplification of procedures resulting from the common framework for the school scheme;

  3. (c)

    the methods of publicising, and networking measures in respect of, the school scheme;

  4. (d)

    F42the format and content of monitoring and evaluation reports

  5. (e)

    F43...

F44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .