The risk of malnutrition is rising within the EU

Since 2008 the world is experiencing a dramatic increase in food prices creating instability in the world market and social  unrest.  Although the EU  is one of the wealthiest region in the world and is at the frontline to reduce by half the number of people in developing countries suffering from hunger by 2015,  nearly 43 million people living in the Community are at risk of malnutrition.

The EU with its "Food Distribution programme for the Most Deprived Persons of the Community" (MDP) is ensuring  since 1987 the distribution via charity organisations of free food to people in need. In 2009, around 18.3 million people in 20 member Sates benefited from the scheme.

SOLIDARITY BADLY SHAKEN

But the mechanism that allows to release public intervention stocks of agricultural products to Member States wishing to use them as food aid for people in need, suffered an embarassing political impasse when, in April  2011, the European Court of Justice, ruling on a request from Germany in 2009, said the programme could only use supplies from EU food stocks . Moreover, six member states (including Germany itself, the Czech Republic  and the UK) blocked a plan to keep aid flowing in the form of cash payments under social goals. This program conceived as an emergency  measure seemed to become unfortunately  over the years a long term solution. Something unbearable when combined with CAP's more market-oriented system and much lower levels of intervention stocks.
The 6 opposed countries  argued that  MPD was a social programme for which member states are responsible. In that case it has not be  financed under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.  After a strong lobbying from France (which is one of the top aid recipient along with Poland and Italy) Germany eventually agreed to continue the programme for the next  two years provided that the European Commission pledged not to make a proposal to continue the food aid scheme beyond 2013. The agreement reached set €113 million as the total quantity allocated for the 2012 MPD's programme, exclusively based on all the available existing intervention stocks.

The  question is obvious now. With the economic and social situations we are currently facing, to what extent can we afford to jeopardize one of the only symbol of the European Union mutual solidarity? If the EU wants to  promote solidarity and prosperity approach on the world stage, shouldn't it start within its own boundaries?