School milk resurrected

The European Commission’s plan to halve the r91 million school milk fund (see DII 64(12)11) has been rejected by ten of the European Union’s 15 farm ministers.
It was rumoured in June 1999 that the subsidy would be removed altogether, but by December the suggested compromise was that the Commission would contribute a reduced amount, with member states making up the shortfall.
However, last month two thirds of the ministers expressed concern about co-funding, saying it set a dangerous precedent for common agricultural policy. Only representatives from Italy, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece voted for the proposed cuts.