The Commission has produced a proposal to counteract the negative effects that the recent hike in food prices has had on people living in deprived areas. This proposal is keen to amend the current food programme, which is designed to supply food surplus only when reserves are empty.
Food programme background
The current food programme consists of a food stockpile distributed to the most needy in a given population. This current scheme was set up in 1987 when the European Union was in a period of food wealth. In the mid-1990s, food purchasing of the open market was allowed in order to compensate for the shortcomings of the food programme. In 2008, the current food programme is still considered incapable of dealing with the recent rise in food prices and consequences this has had on poorer people.
Amending the food programme
The Commission feels an expansion of the programme is called for, given the price hike experienced during the last decade. The idea is to increase the Community budget dedicated to food aid to 500 million as of 2009.
The revised terms imply :
Co- financing between Member States and European Commission;
if the two sources of supply, intervention stocks or market purchased food, run out, co-financing will provide further food supplies;
A wider variety of food. So far, only some products were available through food aid. The proposal specifies that products would be chosen by Member States on national criteria;
A long-term perspective : the programme will last three years. Member States willing to take part in the project must find a suitable partner to organise the food distribution and submit their request to the Commission ;
A reinforced monitoring and reporting process.
Although Europe is one of the world’s richest area, there is a huge contradiction in that 43 million of the European population is at risk of food poverty.
EPHA Comments
We imagine that with extra funding, Member States should be able to carry out food distribution to deprived people. Nevertheless, the budget aspect is certainly not the only problem related to soaring food prices needing to be addressed. It is regrettable that the reporting and the monitoring done so far has not exposed management failures. Hopes are that with a reinforced monitoring process and also a report expected by the 31 December 2012, an assessment of each aid provider’s responsibilities will be beneficial to the future of this project.
For further information
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets/freefood/index_en.htm
