In the Government Meeting, the Government Decision for the approval of Romania's School Program for the period 2023-2029 and the allocation of the budget for its implementation in the 2023-2024 school year was adopted.

The purpose of this legislative act is to establish measures in line with the new European regulations to ensure Romania's continued participation in the European Union's School Program for the financial exercise from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2029. This program aims to provide the distribution of fresh fruits and/or vegetables, natural drinking milk, and dairy products without the addition of powdered milk, as well as bakery products for preschoolers and students during the period from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2029, including the 2023-2024 school year.

The total budget for the 2023-2024 school year is 742,617,252 lei (150,038,842 euros), broken down as follows:

• Financial aid from the European Union: 86,525,308 lei (17,481,626 euros), including:178,236 euros for fruits and vegetables;303,390 euros for milk and dairy products.
• 178,236 euros for fruits and vegetables;
• 303,390 euros for milk and dairy products.
• National financial aid: 656,091,944 lei (132,557,216 euros).

The total budget of 742,617,252 lei is allocated as follows:

• 94,782,996 lei for the provision of free fruits and vegetables and 37,612,300 lei for the implementation of related educational measures;
• 361,134,499 lei for the provision of free drinking milk and dairy products without the addition of powdered milk, and 37,612,300 lei for the implementation of related educational measures;
• 211,475,157 lei for the provision of free bakery products, solely from the state budget.

According to data compiled by the Ministry of Education, a total of 1,880,615 preschoolers and students will benefit from the products distributed through the Program, starting from the 2023-2024 school year.

The main provisions of this legislative act include:

• The cumulative implementation of the following measures: the provision of free fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking milk, dairy products, and bakery products to preschoolers and students, within a daily value limit per preschooler/student.
• The daily value limit per preschooler/student is as follows: a) 0.70 lei for fruits and vegetables; b) 1.11 lei for drinking milk and dairy products without the addition of powdered milk; c) 0.65 lei for bakery products.
• Providing each preschooler/student with 2 servings of fruits and/or vegetables, 3 servings of drinking milk, 2 servings of dairy products, and 5 servings of bakery products during the week, within the allocated budget for these purposes.

A novelty for the 2023-2024 school year is that 3 servings of milk and 2 servings of dairy products are provided for free during the week, compared to previous school years when 2 servings of milk and 1 serving of dairy product were distributed.

Additionally, students with gluten/lactose intolerance or intolerance to any other ingredient or compound or any distributed product will be able to benefit from products suitable for their situation.

Educational measures that can be carried out during the school year alongside the distribution of fruits, vegetables, milk, and dairy products include: visiting fruit and vegetable farms, milk production farms, research stations, exhibitions, fairs, thematic contests, tastings, gardening activities at the school level, and organizing themed days dedicated to the consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk, and dairy products, as well as the use of educational materials.

The objective of Romania's School Program is to promote healthy eating habits and increase the consumption of local products among children. It is built around two main components: the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables and the provision of drinking milk and dairy products without powdered milk, along with the implementation of related educational measures.