Text tabled : A6-0091/2009

  Luca Romagnoli (NI), in writing. – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I voted in favour of Mr Siekierski’s report on food distribution to the most deprived persons in the Community.

I believe that the problem of poverty is highly relevant as, even in affluent Europe, more than 80 million people are at risk of poverty and the vast majority of these live in the countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007. I therefore agree with the rapporteur on the need to expand the range of products provided through this food aid programme and on the fact that the primary source of supply should be represented by reserves deriving from intervention in the agricultural markets, thus constituting an important aspect of the common agricultural policy.

I also welcome the rapporteur’s call for the entire funding for the food aid programme to be provided by the EU, since the Commission’s co-financing proposal could lead Member States to limit their participation in the programme, particularly at times of economic hardship such as many states are currently experiencing.