The 19th meeting of the Commission for Natural Resources (NAT) of the Committee of the Regions saw a presentation and an initial discussion of the working document on "the aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in the educational establishments", drafted by Mr Povilas Žagunis, Mayor of Panevėžys District Municipality, Lithuania.
The proposal presented by the European Commission aims at tackling the diminishing consumption of fruit and milk and a rapidly growing obesity among school children by establishing a financial scheme to help promote local products, education and better links between agriculture and schools. While the initiative itself did not raise any objections by members of the CoR, the discussion focused on whether processed fruit and milk should be included in the scheme and how to best raise awareness and appeal of milk and fruit among young children. The working document was well received by members of the CoR and the draft opinion will be presented and voted in the next NAT meeting in June.
In addition, members of the NAT commission today voted on the draft opinion on agricultural genetic resources which supports the European Commission's orientation to conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources in agriculture as essential to the sustainable development of agricultural production and of rural areas.
