Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/655 of 10 March 2023 fixing the definitive allocation of Union aid to Member States for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk for the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024 and amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 (notified under document C(2023) 1532)

21.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 81/37 COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2023/655 of 10 March 2023 fixing the definitive allocation of Union aid to Member States for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk for the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024 and amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 (notified under document C(2023) 1532) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) No 1370/2013 of 16 December 2013determining measures on fixing certain aids and refunds related to the common organisations of the markets in agricultural products(1), and in particular Article 5(6) thereof, Whereas: (1) Pursuant to Article 3 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39(2), Member States wishing to participate in the Union aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in educational establishments (the school scheme) are to submit to the Commission by 31 January each year their request for Union aid relating to the next school year and, if applicable, update the request for Union aid relating to the ongoing school year. (2) In order to ensure the effective implementation of the school scheme, the allocation of Union aid for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk among participating Member States should be fixed on the basis of the amounts indicated in the request for Union aid by those Member States and taking into account the transfers between Member State's indicative allocations referred to in Article 23a(4), point (a), of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3). (3) All Member States notified the Commission of their request for Union aid for the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024, specifying the amount of aid requested for school fruit and vegetables or for school milk, or for both parts of the scheme. In the case of Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Sweden, the amounts requested took account of the transfers between the indicative allocations. (4) In order to maximise the full potential of available funds, the unrequested Union aid should be reallocated to Member States participating in the school scheme that indicate, in their request for Union aid, their willingness to use more than their indicative allocation, should additional resources be available. (5) In their request for Union aid for the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024, Sweden sought less than the indicative allocation for school fruit and vegetables. Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia notified their willingness to use more than the indicative allocation for school fruit and vegetables. No Member State sought less than the indicative allocation for school milk. (1) OJ L 346, 20.12.2013, p. 12. (2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39 of 3 November 2016 on rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to Union aid for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in educational establishments (OJ L 5, 10.1.2017, p. 1). (3) Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671).L 81/38 EN Official Journal of the European Union 21.3.2023 (6) On the basis of the notified information by Member States, the definitive allocation of Union aid for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk for the period from 1 August 2023to 31 July 2024should be fixed. (7) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493(4)fixed the definitive allocation of Union aid for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk among Member States wishing to participate in the school scheme for the period from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1187(5) amended Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 as regards the definitive allocation of Union aid to Member States for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk for the period from 1 August 2022to 31 July 2023to take into account the exceptional second requests for Union aid submitted by Member States pursuant to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/861(6)for that same period. (8) In the notifications submitted by 31 January 2023pursuant to Article 3 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39, some Member States updated their request for Union aid relating to the school year 2022/2023. Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria and Finland notified transfers between the definitive allocation for school fruit and vegetables and the definitive allocation for school milk. Germany and the Netherlands sought less than the definitive allocation for school milk. Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Slovakia and Sweden notified their willingness to use more than the definitive allocation for school milk. (9) Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 should therefore be amended accordingly. (10) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The definitive allocation of Union aid for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk among Member States participating in the school scheme for the period from 1 August 2023to 31 July 2024is set out in Annex I. Article 2 Annex I to Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 is replaced by the text set out in Annex II to this Decision. Article 3 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. (4) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 of 21 March 2022 fixing the definitive allocation of Union aid to Member States for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk for the period from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023 and amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/462 (OJ L 100, 28.3.2022, p. 55). (5) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/1187 of 7 July 2022 amending Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/493 as regards the definitive allocation of Union aid to Member States for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk for the period from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023 (OJ L 184, 11.7.2022, p. 56). (6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/861 of 1 June 2022 laying down exceptional rules for the Member States’ second requests for Union aid for school fruit and vegetables and for school milk and derogating from Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/39 as regards the reallocation of Union aid, for the period from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023 (OJ L 151, 2.6.2022, p. 42).21.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 81/39 Done at Brussels, 10 March 2023. For the Commission Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI Member of the CommissionL 81/40 EN Official Journal of the European Union 21.3.2023 ANNEX I School year 2023/2024 Definitive allocation for school fruit and Definitive allocation for school milk Member State vegetables in EUR in EUR Belgium 3 815 785 1 433 417 Bulgaria 2 185 256 1 800 090 Czechia 3 473 993 3 048 057 Denmark 1 739 147 1 632 431 Germany 21 196 752 8 910 720 Estonia 412 360 754 955 Ireland 1 966 159 826 537 Greece 3 149 503 1 464 086 Spain 13 922 472 6 023 462 France 18 176 401 14 523 309 Croatia 1 322 043 610 533 Italy 15 293 816 6 910 347 Cyprus 300 828 252 652 Latvia 671 180 868 581 Lithuania 923 603 1 236 781 Luxembourg 297 570 193 000 Hungary 2 994 731 2 970 122 Malta 290 000 193 000 Netherlands 5 722 702 1 632 699 Austria 2 414 539 1 015 027 Poland 12 565 488 12 791 591 Portugal 2 804 412 1 301 261 Romania 6 178 236 11 303 390 Slovenia 689 729 305 638 Slovakia 1 915 162 1 659 402 Finland 1 672 943 2 731 455 Sweden 0 8 316 782 Total 126 094 810 94 709 32521.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 81/41 ANNEX II ‘ANNEX I School year 2022/2023 Definitive allocation for school fruit and Definitive allocation for school milk Member State vegetables in EUR in EUR Belgium 3 405 460 1 613 199 Bulgaria 2 145 826 1 030 342 Czechia 3 515 512 2 000 127 Denmark 1 855 060 1 578 658 Germany 20 867 400 9 614 058 Estonia 520 903 779 265 Ireland 1 811 303 1 033 661 Greece 3 221 670 1 550 685 Spain 13 442 293 6 152 902 France 16 271 478 16 146 588 Croatia 1 390 541 800 354 Italy 17 117 780 8 003 535 Cyprus 390 044 400 177 Latvia 658 180 748 041 Lithuania 966 451 1 135 641 Luxembourg 295 111 205 725 Hungary 3 122 448 1 945 693 Malta 293 504 201 724 Netherlands 6 006 511 642 270 Austria 2 401 768 944 680 Poland 12 494 071 10 739 507 Portugal 3 283 397 2 220 981 Romania 6 900 318 10 455 944 Slovenia 570 823 311 770 Slovakia 1 872 965 1 070 557 Finland 1 799 047 3 624 689 Sweden 0 9 233 498 Total 126 619 864 94184271’