The UK has declined to take advantage of an EU scheme to provide free fruit and vegetables to school children. Children across 26 EU countries will benefit from the program which will offer free fruit, vegetables and milk thanks to €250m (£218m) in EU funding for the 2017-18 school year.
But the UK and Sweden have declined to take part in the scheme for fruit and vegetables. As well as providing children with fruit, vegetables and milk, the money is used to support teaching about agriculture and healthy diets.
Money allocated to a member state but not requested, for whatever reason, can be reallocated elsewhere within the scheme by the European Commission. This means other countries can ask for extra money if another country declines to claim it.
It is not the first time that the UK has declined to participate in the scheme. Last April, the UK refused to support an EU plan to increase school visits to farms and encourage youngsters to eat more fruit and vegetables.
source: fwi.co.uk
