ROMA – In 2022 in Rome, approximately 170,000 people residing in the capital in need of food aid – 6.2% of the population – received support from European funds. Today, these same people are still not receiving the aid foreseen by the new one Program (ESF+), Meaning what one of the European Union’s main tools to support Member States to address these challenges. In the context of cohesion policy, the Bottom it will continue – it has been guaranteed – its mission of supporting economic, territorial and social cohesion in the EU, reducing disparities between member states and regions.
What is happening in our country. In our country, the main tool for supporting people in food poverty is the distribution of food aid, largely guaranteed by European funds and to a lesser extent by National Fund for the Poor (FNI), through thousands of territorial organizations spread throughout the national territory. Since March this year, food aid has progressively decreased due to delays by the Government in implementing the FSE+: To date, no products from the new program have been delivered to the organizations that distribute food aid to families in poverty.
New heavy bureaucratic obligations. In addition to the delays, new and burdensome bureaucratic requirements have been introduced which local organizations will have to complete by 15 January 2025. An unsustainable deadline which requires the updating of the social files of the assisted families with the documentation certifying – among other things – the ISEE threshold The risk is of closing fundamental territorial centers for people in food poverty. A critical situation reported to Table Fighting food poverty of the Council also from the Roman Civic Poles.
Requests to the Government. Faced with this situation, Il Food Council – the body that defines and monitors the implementation of Rome’s food policy, proposing policies, strategies and ideas that make food systems sustainable – asks the Government, in particular the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, to urgently distribute food aid FSE+ and to extend the deadline of 01/15/2025. Not only that: the Advise also urges the Government and Parliament to increase funding to National Fund for the Poorwith the next budget law.
The initiative in the Capitol. For this reason, today at 6 pm in the Hall “Laudato Yes”, Piazza del Campidoglio, the Food Council gives life to an initiative to discuss the urgent and structural measures proposed to combat food poverty, also inviting the competent Ministries and local authorities to participate.
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