The European Parliament has voted to adopt a report on the implementation of the EU school scheme, which promotes unprocessed, organic, and locally produced food and excludes plant-based alternatives, according to DairyReporter.

No additives

The report, aimed at streamlining the administration of the scheme, among other objectives, also proposed that products distributed to schools in the EU "should be sourced from the EU and essentially unprocessed, where appropriate, organic, locally produced, and, if possible, of European quality", with at least 25% of organic products encouraged to be adopted.

Products containing added sugars, fats, salts, and sweeteners "should not be allowed," while amendments proposing the inclusion of plant-based beverages within the scope of the scheme were rejected.

In a speech addressed to MEPs, Romanian MEP Carmen Avram, who drafted the report, urged the Parliament to vote in favor of the motion to "put an end to the exclusion of children with intolerances, allergies, and dietary restrictions."

She stated that 24% of students interviewed by the European Commission cannot access the EU school scheme due to illness or a lack of alternatives. "The compromise is not about introducing a plant-based diet but about our obligation to supplement the budget to create alternatives from the list of already accepted products," she added.

In her statement, Avram also called on the European Commission to increase the budget allocated to the distribution of fruits, vegetables, milk, and dairy products to offset inflationary pressures ("when it comes to children, there is no place for saving"), and to eliminate the criterion prioritizing low-price offers in contract awards to stimulate small farmers and local producers.

"Not all is lost"

ProVeg International, the NGO that advocated for the inclusion of plant-based milk in EU schools, condemned the vote as a "missed opportunity" but said that a new proposal from the European Commission could provide decision-makers with another chance to reconsider this decision.

"The European Parliament missed an opportunity," the organization stated in a Facebook post. "They voted against the inclusion of plant-based beverages in schools. But not all is lost: the European Commission will now work on a new proposal. ProVeg calls for the addition of unsweetened, fortified plant-based milk to the School Scheme for children who cannot or do not want to consume dairy." Meanwhile, the European Dairy Association welcomed the adoption of the report.