The EU School Scheme. Enhancing Impact, Alignment, and Integration into Food Strategies

Publications

26 Jun 2025

Labour, Migration and Social Policies

External Publications

Izabela Marcinkowska

Izabela Marcinkowska

Labour market, social policy and employment director
Dr. Marcinkowska's areas of expertise include the labor market, social policy, and employment. As President of the Management Board, Dr. Marcinkowska is responsible for managing all research and projects in the areas of demography, labor, and social policy, overseeing CASE’s financial administration, and spearheading new business development activities. Dr. Marcinkowska has been cooperating with CASE since 2005, and has participated in numerous Polish and international technical assistance and research projects, including the multi-year MOPACT (Mobilizing the Potential of Active Ageing in Europe) Project, funded by the European Commission’s DG on Research and Innovation; NEUJOBS – Employment 2025: How will multiple transitions affect the European labor market, also funded by the European Commission’s DG on Research and Innovation; the Study on the effects and incidence of labor taxation, funded by the European Commission’s DG on Taxation and Customs Union, and Assessing Needs of Care in European Nations (ANCIEN), funded by the European Commission’s Health Cooperation Program. Dr. Marcinkowska obtained her PhD in Economic Science on Informal Employment from the University of Turin. She holds an MA in Economics from the University of Warsaw and an MA in Economics from CORIPE Piemonte in Turin. She has published extensively in the fields of labor economics, social policy, and health economics.

Articles from this author:
- Just Transition In The World Of Work
  This study assesses the European Union’s policy and financial framework for ensuring that the green transition is socially fair. Anchored in the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) and complemented by cohesion policy rules, guidance and funding instruments, the framework seeks to balance climate neutrality with social justice.
- How to eradicate skills poverty among the most vulnerable?
- Tourism and rural development
  The study delves into the multifaceted impact and potential of tourism in fostering rural development across the European Union (EU). Its aim is to equip local governments with practical insights, empowering them to effectively leverage the benefits of tourism in rural EU regions. Employing a diverse array of research methodologies, including interviews, case studies, and … Continued
Author’s articles

This publication presents the findings of a study commissioned by the European Committee of the Regions as part of the project ‘Study on the EU School Scheme from the Regional and Local Perspective – Enhancing Impact, Alignment and Integration into Food Strategies’.

The report examines the implementation and impact of the EU School Scheme, which has promoted healthy eating habits among schoolchildren since 2017 by providing them with fresh fruit, vegetables and milk, as well as educational activities. Evidence shows that the scheme broadly meets its objectives, although its effectiveness varies across Member States.

In Austria, Italy and Germany, for example, the scheme has demonstrated strong regional integration, enhancing environmental and nutritional awareness in communities and supporting local economies by collaborating with farmers, producers and suppliers. In countries such as France, Estonia, and Sweden, the programme consistently promotes organic and seasonal produce. In other regions, more conventional items remain prevalent.

The report also provides a set of recommendations to improve the scheme’s local and regional impact and strengthen its role in transforming the sustainable food system.

Publication: The European Committee of the Regions, 2025
Author: Dr Izabela Marcinkowska, CASE – Center for Social and Economic Research

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The EU School Scheme. Enhancing Impact, Alignment, and Integration into Food Strategies

Izabela Marcinkowska

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