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Euro-MPs fear impact of cut in EU food aid

07 July 2011, 21:26 CET
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(STRASBOURG) - The European parliament pleaded with the European Union on Thursday to prevent a drastic cut in food aid to 43 million people too poor to afford proper meals across the 27-nation bloc.

Euro MPs urged EU states and the European Commission to find a solution to stop the programme's budget from being slashed from 500 million euros ($700 million) today to 113 million euros next year.

"Halting an existing and functioning aid scheme abruptly without prior notice or preparation has a major impact on the most vulnerable EU citizens and is not a reliable funding practice," the parliament said in a resolution adopted with an overwelming 548-52 majority.

An estimated 43 million people in the EU are threatened by food poverty, meaning that they cannot afford a proper meal every second day, according to commission figures.

Charities say the reduction could deprive at least two million Europeans of needed food aid.

The commission said last month it had no choice but to slash the programme following a decision by the European Court of Justice in April that food covered by the scheme must come from available EU public stocks.


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