Evaluation of the EU school scheme

Key points:

The EESC:

• welcomes the EU school scheme for fruit and vegetables and milk products,
• provides recommendations at national and European level to make the scheme more effective and relevant and to better include civil society, based on comprehensive consultations of stakeholders in 5 EU Member States, including measures to:
• simplify significantly the administrative procedures by the Member States,
• improve the promotion and communication of the scheme to relevant stakeholders,
• integrate the scheme into regional or national food policies,
• in particular, stresses the need:
• to set up national monitoring and evaluation committees in the Member States,
• to create a guide to best practice overseen by the European Commission,
• for the Member States' health authorities to broaden the scope of allowed products (e.g. sweet products for yoghurts and fats for raw vegetables) to combat food waste, and promote more environmentally-friendly packaging,
• to increase the possibilities for spending the allocated funds, especially on education for safe and sustainable healthy eating,
• to include social factors in the scheme to improve support for disadvantaged children,
• to strengthen support from Member States to producers (updated prices, supply of local products, promotion of associations of producer groups),
• to provide technical tools for teachers and school staff responsible for the scheme, enabling them to get parents involved,
• to improve the participation of civil society: Member States to identify representative civil society organisations and social partners and inform them and to set up regular meetings at school level to inform and consult parents about this scheme.