The proposal relates to a regulation on a programme to introduce fruit, vegetables, bananas and milk in educational institutions whereby the European Union would co-finance healthy children's meals in schools.
Croatian schools will be able to take part in the programme following objections put forward by Croatian MEPs Marijana Petir and Biljana Borzan to remove historical criteria which would have excluded Croatia from the project because it is a new member.
"These programmes are an expression of Europe's concern for children and healthy meals in schools throughout Europe," MEP Marijana Petir of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) said at a plenary session of the European Parliament, expressing her satisfaction that Croatian children too would be eating healthy food.
Petir warned that an analysis by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports and the Ministry of Social Policy and Youth showed that the parents of more than 10,000 Croatian children cannot afford to pay for school meals. "This programme will ensure that those children have a free, healthy meal in school," Petir said, adding that the programme would be beneficial to local food producers too.
Biljana Borzan of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) underscored that one in three children are overweight and that children consume too little calcium-rich foods.
"The fruit and milk scheme is an excellent programme which leads to healthy food habits from an early age. Farmers too will be able to provide their home-grown products directly to school canteens," Borzan said.
Each year 30 million pupils in European schools receive meals subsidised through the milk and fruit programme.