Food distribution to the most deprived persons in the Community

The Council's position confirms most of the amendments introduced by the Commission in the amended proposal and, therefore, takes into account all the European Parliament's substantive first-reading amendments.

In particular, the Council accepts the European Parliament's view as regards

• full Union funding for the programme,
• the possibility of giving preference to food products of Union origin, and
• the notion that the transport, storage and administrative costs directly linked with the implementation of the scheme can be eligible.

The Council's position also introduces some changes to the amended proposal not covered by the European Parliament's first-reading opinion, which referred to the first proposal from 2008:

• it removes the additional legal basis proposed by the Commission on social cohesion (Article 175(3) of the TFEU) ;
• it phases out the programme within the CAP by 31 December 2013;
• it exceptionally removes the alignment provisions; and
• it provides for retroactivity as from 1 January 2012.