Members of the Regional Secretariats for Education and for Health will meet with representatives of the Fisheries and Agriculture Financing Institute (IFAP) in Lisbon on Thursday to carry out the implementation the Fruit Scheme for Schools in the Azores.
The meeting scheduled for 2 PM local time (one hour ahead of the Azores) aims to define some necessary adjustments concerning the national ordinance published in the Official Gazette on October 12, so that the Azorean students may have free access to fruit and vegetables at schools.
The Azorean authorities are determined to implement this European programme in the Archipelago in the current school year as the regional ordinance will come into force no later than the first three months of 2010.
The promotion of healthy eating habits among youngsters and the reduction of the social and economic costs associated with unhealthy eating habits are among the main goals of this measure which was created by the European Commission.