Applying the recent reform of the Common Agricultural Policy outlined to make the industry more modern, competitive and "sustainable" "more gradually" to "mitigate the impact of its measures". The European Parliament, gathered in Strasbourg for its plenary meeting (17-20 November), tackled this morning the reports of Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel about the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, an area that makes up over 40% of the EU’s budget. It asks for subsidies for rice, tobacco and wheat; rises in milk quotas; subsidies for environmentally-friendly crops. Also during today’s session, Parliament will be called to give its opinion of the proposal of establishing a scheme for distributing fruit in the schools of the 27 EU member states to improve the students’ health and fight obesity. A report that has been submitted to Parliament explains that "such produce must be fresh, in season, healthy and preferably organic". The scheme, which will receive 90 million euros’ worth of funds, would prefer to start distributing fruit in nursery and primary schools. In the afternoon, the EU Council and EU Commission will discuss the financial crisis and the G20 summit of Washington.
